Institute of Modern Russia

Details

Law

Verbal strategies from Kosovo to Crimea. Part Two

How the Kremlin uses the language of international law as a foreign policy tool

Details

13 February 2018

Thomas Hodson

Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 has become a turning point for the Kremlin’s relationship with the West. While inside Russia the event is largely viewed as a “restoration of historical justice,” in the West it is perceived as a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and essentially as the first rewriting of Europe’s borders since World War II. As Russia’s belligerent behavior in the international arena continues to raise concerns, Russia analyst Thomas Hodson investigates the Kremlin’s attempts to manipulate the language of international law to justify its actions.

Details

Law

Verbal Strategies from Kosovo to Crimea. Part One

How the Kremlin uses the language of international law as a foreign policy tool

Details

06 February 2018

Thomas Hodson

Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 has become a turning point for the Kremlin’s relationship with the West. While inside Russia the event is largely viewed as a “restoration of historical justice,” in the West it is perceived as a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and essentially as the first rewriting of Europe’s borders since World War II. As Russia’s belligerent behavior in the international arena continues to raise concerns, Russia analyst Thomas Hodson investigates the Kremlin’s attempts to manipulate the language of international law to justify its actions.

Details

World

U.S. Congress Is Upset with the Kremlin Report

Congressmen demand clarity on Russia sanctions under CAATSA from the Trump administration

Details

31 January 2018

On January 29, the U.S. Treasury released the so-called “Kremlin report,” which includes a list of Russian officials and businesspeople who may be sanctioned under Article 241 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). As the Treasury underscored in its official statement, “this report is not a sanctions list.” Which means it “does not impose sanctions on [the included] individuals or entities. Nor does it create any other restrictions, prohibitions, or limitations on dealings with such persons by either U.S. or foreign persons.”

Details

Economics

Sergey Aleksashenko: “The Takeaways of the Keynote Interview with Nabiullina”

Details

31 May 2017

Sergey Aleksashenko

In his latest comment about recent events in the Russian economy Sergey Aleksashenko, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, analyzes the latest interview with Elvira Nabiullina, head of the Bank of Russia, highlighting obvious contradictions within it, and also looks at the economic indicators of the last few months and finds reason for restrained optimism.

Details

Politics

Political Schizophrenia or Existential Crisis?

Details

24 May 2017

Olga Khvostunova

At his last week’s press conference Vladimir Putin claimed that “political schizophrenia” has been developing in the U.S. These words were said in response to the question regarding the Washington Post’s breaking story that at an Oval Office meeting with Russian diplomats Donald Trump passed to them certain classified information on ISIS. Is it possible that given the current developments inside Russia itself, Vladimir Putin made a Freudian slip? IMR’s Olga Khvostunova weighs in.

Details

Economics

Sergey Aleksashenko: “The Kremlin's Economic Policy Has Produced No Growth Whatsoever”

Details

03 May 2017

Sergey Aleksashenko

In his latest commentary about the recent events in the Russian economy, Sergey Aleksashenko, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, confirms that the fall in the Russian economy is over, but there is no growth to talk about.

Details

Economics

Sergey Aleksashenko: “The Bank of Russia Is Going to Implement a Moderately Austere Policy over the Next Two to Three Years”

Details

13 April 2017

Sergey Aleksashenko

In his latest commentary about the recent events in the Russian economy, Sergey Aleksasheko, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, notes that the Bank of Russia’s decision to raise the key rate will have no effect on the economy. Rosstat’s new methodology, which unexpectedly bolstered last year’s Russian economic indicators, also raises questions in his mind.

Details

Economics

Sergey Aleksashenko: “There Is No Raw Materials Dependency”

Details

23 March 2017

Sergey Aleksashenko

In his latest commentary about recent developments in the Russian economy, Sergey Aleksashenko, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, weighs on the recent data released by Rosstat, noting signs of the economy finally “bottoming out” and wondering at the Bank of Russia’s stubborn policy of keeping the key rate intact.

Details

Economics

Sergey Aleksashenko: “Rosstat Is Trying to Create the Illusion of Growth”

Details

23 February 2017

Sergey Aleksashenko

In his latest commentary about recent developments in the Russian economy, Sergey Aleksashenko, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, notes that Federal State Statistics Service new data creates more confusion about the state of the economy and argues that the Central Bank’s recent decision to keep the key rate unchanged may further damage the economy’s chances for growth.

Details

Economics

Sergey Aleksashenko: “The Budget Is Caught in a Vicious Circle”

Details

09 February 2017

Sergey Aleksashenko

In his latest commentary about recent developments in the Russian economy, Sergey Aleksashenko, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, analyzes the reasons for the strengthening of the ruble, expresses cautious optimism concerning the automotive market, shows skepticism concerning the mortgage market, and once more notes the inconsistency of the actions of the Finance Ministry and the Russian Central Bank.