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Constitutionalism vs. the ‘Russian Matrix.’ Part 1

Details: Law

Constitutionalism vs. the ‘Russian Matrix.’ Part 1

Details: 22 September 2015; Vladimir Pastukhov

In the West, it is taken for granted that a nation needs a constitution in order to function. But Russia, in many ways, lives more by social codes than by the country’s Constitution. Does the country even need a constitution? If so, what can be done to make it work more effectively? Political scientist Vladimir Pastukhov, who holds a doctorate in political science and is a visiting fellow at St. Antony’s College of Oxford University, takes an in-depth look at Russian constitutionalism in part one of a periodic series.

Crisis in Emerging Markets: Is Russia Better Off Than Brazil?

Details: World

Crisis in Emerging Markets: Is Russia Better Off Than Brazil?

Details: 21 September 2015; Ezekiel Pfeifer

The BRIC nations have lost some of their luster recently, due to the crash in commodity prices and chronic low demand in the West. How does the economic situation in Russia compare to that in Brazil, India and China? In part one of a three-part series, IMR analyst Ezekiel Pfeifer compares Russia to Brazil, where the economy is strikingly similar to that of Russia but where the political system sets the country apart.

Kadyrov, Putin, and the Whitewashing of the Nemtsov Investigation

Details: Politics

Kadyrov, Putin, and the Whitewashing of the Nemtsov Investigation

Details: 14 September 2015; Donald N. Jensen

Six months after the murder of Boris Nemtsov, it seems increasingly likely that the man suspected of ordering the killing will avoid criminal charges, thanks to his close connections to Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov. This protection granted to Kadyrov and his inner circle by Vladimir Putin could eventually result in a major crisis for the Russian government, argues Donald Jensen, resident fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations.

Does Anyone Want Ukraine’s Donbass?

Details: World

Does Anyone Want Ukraine’s Donbass?

Details: 10 September 2015; Luke Johnson

Fighting between Ukraine and the Russian-backed rebels of Luhansk and Donetsk has quieted in recent weeks, but there is little clarity about the future of the two breakaway regions. Will Ukraine succeed in reintegrating them? Or will Russia attempt to annex them? The situation remains murky, but some meaningful clues exist regarding what might happen next to the war-torn territory, writes independent journalist Luke Johnson.

Russia’s $100 Billion Pension System Is a Dangerous Zombie. Part 2

Details: Economics

Russia’s $100 Billion Pension System Is a Dangerous Zombie. Part 2

Details: 03 September 2015; Ezekiel Pfeifer

In part one of this two-part story, IMR analyst Ezekiel Pfeifer examined how the Russian pension system managed to build up annual deficits of more than $50 billion. In part two, he attempts to answer the eternal Russian question in relation to this massive problem: What is to be done?

Russia’s $100 Billion Pension System Is a Dangerous Zombie. Part 1

Details: Economics

Russia’s $100 Billion Pension System Is a Dangerous Zombie. Part 1

Details: 02 September 2015; Ezekiel Pfeifer

According to current projections, Russia’s pension system faces annual deficits of more than $50 billion in the coming years, while the number of retirees is on the rise. The government has tinkered with the system in an attempt to fill the gap, but some experts insist that the changes have only made things worse. In part one of a two-part story, IMR analyst Ezekiel Pfeifer examines the origins of the pension system’s acute and chronic ailments.

Can the Chinese Dragon Save the Russian Bear?

Details: World

Can the Chinese Dragon Save the Russian Bear?

Details: 01 September 2015; Cyrus Newlin, Ezekiel Pfeifer

As Vladimir Putin heads to Beijing this week to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, investors and officials in both countries are preoccupied with the nations’ mounting economic woes. For Russia, the Chinese slowdown is particularly vexing, since it puts up a potential roadblock to the Kremlin’s “pivot” to the east. Independent researcher Cyrus Newlin and IMR analyst Ezekiel Pfeifer examine the shifting landscape and attempt to determine whether Russia can count on China to drive its economy forward.

Russia’s Military Is a Paper Tiger in the Baltic

Details: World

Russia’s Military Is a Paper Tiger in the Baltic

Details: 26 August 2015; Matthew Bodner

The Kremlin’s aggressive tactics in Ukraine have caused experts and Western military leaders to sound the alarm over the threat Russia poses toward the NATO member states in the Baltic region. But would Russia’s military have the upper hand in a Baltic conflict with the West? Journalist and military analyst Matthew Bodner breaks down the two sides’ assets and determines that Russia would face a tall task in confronting NATO.

The Kremlin’s Scorn for Strasbourg

Details: Law

The Kremlin’s Scorn for Strasbourg

Details: 24 August 2015; Ekaterina Mishina

In July, one of the most talked-about events in Russia was the Constitutional Court’s ruling that Russia may deviate from compliance with decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). However, as IMR legal expert Ekaterina Mishina notes, this decision should come as no surprise. Rather, it is the natural extension of a widely held attitude in political circles, according to which Russia can afford not to comply with judgments of the Strasbourg Court if it doesn’t like them.

The Kremlin’s Economic Gambit

Details: Economics

The Kremlin’s Economic Gambit

Details: 20 August 2015; Ezekiel Pfeifer

Despite the conventional view that Russia’s economy will rebound when the price of oil swings upward, experts agree that what it really needs is an influx of capital investment. As IMR analyst Ezekiel Pfeifer writes, the Kremlin is attempting to stimulate investment by taking the risky step of allowing people’s wages to decline. The question is: Will the gambit work?

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