Analysis - Institute of Modern Russia

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Totalitarianism and Freedom of Speech

Details: Nation

Totalitarianism and Freedom of Speech

Details: 24 June 2014; Alexander Podrabinek

The unbridled propaganda war waged around the Ukrainian crisis once again raises the question of independence of the media. According to journalist Alexander Podrabinek, the purging of information space could be avoided if the international community promptly and decisively reacted to the first signs of suppression of freedom of speech in Russia.

Russia Goes East

Details: World

Russia Goes East

Details: 23 June 2014; Donald N. Jensen

Russia’s revisionist foreign policy began to take shape long before its low-level war against Ukraine, or even its invasion of Georgia in 2008. As Donald N. Jensen, resident fellow of the Center for the Transatlantic Studies argues, Russia’s global aspirations are a challenge to liberal democracy. The West has refused to accept Russia as a great power, leaving it no alternative but to become an affiliate of the more sympathetic regimes of Eurasia.

Why Russia's Federation Council Cannot Become the House of Lords

Details: Law

Why Russia's Federation Council Cannot Become the House of Lords

Details: 19 June 2014; Juliana Demesheva

Over the last few months, the Russian State Duma has been seriously involved in constitutional construction, working on the creation of new principles for forming the Federation Council, Russia’s second house of Parliament. Constitutional law expert and professor at the Higher School of Economics Juliana Demesheva analyzes the proposed changes from the point of view of their conformity with the principle of separation of powers.

The Young Guard, or “Russification of the Spirit”

Details: Nation

The Young Guard, or “Russification of the Spirit”

Details: 19 June 2014; Alexander Yanov

The Institute of Modern Russia continues its series of articles by well-known historian Alexander Yanov on the history of Russian nationalism in the USSR. In this essay, he analyzes the ideological rationale of right-wing dissidents in the late 1960s, the mouthpiece of which was Young Guard magazine.

Putin's D-Day Landing

Details: World

Putin's D-Day Landing

Details: 17 June 2014; Elena Servettaz

This year the seventieth anniversary of D-Day coincided with the G7 summit in Brussels. For the first time since 1997, world leaders met as the G7 rather than as the G8 following the exclusion of Russia from the group as a result of its invasion of Crimea. However, as Paris-based journalist Elena Servettaz notes, Vladimir Putin, who was present at the D-Day celebrations, still tried to steal the show to promote his policies.

Did the Kremlin Hit “Pause” for the G7 Summit?

Details: World

Did the Kremlin Hit “Pause” for the G7 Summit?

Details: 17 June 2014; Donald N. Jensen

The Ukrainian government announced on June 9 that it had reached a “mutual understanding” with Moscow on parts of a plan proposed by newly elected Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko for ending violence in the volatile eastern part of the country. Donald Jensen, resident fellow of the Center for Transatlantic Studies, argues that despite conciliatory gestures from Moscow, the crisis is hardly headed for a prompt resolution.

The “Bolotnaya Case”: The Third Wave

Details: Politics

The “Bolotnaya Case”: The Third Wave

Details: 10 June 2014; Alexander Podrabinek

The detention of civil society activists still continues two years after the May 6, 2012, demonstrations in Bolotnaya Square. Another series of arrests started in late May and have been labeled the “third Bolotnaya case.” According to writer and journalist Alexander Podrabinek, as long as Russia’s system of power remains unchanged, political repressions will continue to occur.

Russia’s Chinese Turn

Details: World

Russia’s Chinese Turn

Details: 09 June 2014; Tatiana Stanovaya

In late May, Russian president Vladimir Putin was in China on an official visit, the main result of which was the signing of a thirty-year contract to supply China with natural gas from Russia. Against the backdrop of Russia’s increasing isolation, this “Chinese turn” might look like a logical step; however, political analyst Tatyana Stanovaya argues that Moscow’s actions reinforce Russia’s status as a raw materials appendage and undermine its role in global politics.

VSKhSON: the “Russian Path” to Freedom

Details: Nation

VSKhSON: the “Russian Path” to Freedom

Details: 05 June 2014; Alexander Yanov

The Institute of Modern Russia continues its series of articles by well-known historian Alexander Yanov on the history of Russian nationalism in the Soviet Union. In this essay, the author analyzes the ideology of VSKhSON—the All-Russian Social-Christian Union for the Liberation of the People.

Ukraine: At a Crossroads Once More

Details: Politics

Ukraine: At a Crossroads Once More

Details: 03 June 2014; Tatiana Stanovaya

On May 25 Ukraine held presidential elections to stabilize the country and resolve a serious political crisis. Political analyst Tatyana Stanovaya summarizes the outcome of these elections and analyzes the political challenges that face the president-elect.

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