Analysis - Institute of Modern Russia

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Russia: A Test on Fascism

Details: Politics

Russia: A Test on Fascism

Details: 12 February 2013; Alexander Yanov

The harsh prison sentence handed to Colonel Vladimir Kvachkov, a prominent Russian nationalist leader, was met with near-uninamous condemnation in Russia’s opposition (including liberal opposition) circles. In contrast, IMR Advisor Alexander Yanov, a well-known historan of Russian nationalism, believes that Kvachkov deserved his punishment.

IMR Congratulates Lyudmila Alekseyeva on Nobel Peace Prize Nomination

Details: Nation

IMR Congratulates Lyudmila Alekseyeva on Nobel Peace Prize Nomination

Details: 11 February 2013

Lyudmila Alekseyeva, a prominent Russian human rights activist, head of the Moscow Helsinski Group and a member of IMR's board of trustees, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Her name was put forward by U.S. Senator Benjamin Cardin.

Medvedev’s Government: A Vegetative Life

Details: Politics

Medvedev’s Government: A Vegetative Life

Details: 07 February 2013; Tatiana Stanovaya

A large-scale campaign directed against Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev is underway in the Russian media. It is difficult to say who is behind it—Medvedev’s opponents include the security services, liberals, Putinists, and even his own former backers. Tatiana Stanovaya, head of the analytical department at the Center for Political Technologies and an IMR advisor, ponders the Russian premier’s political future.

Violated Rights: the 2013 World Report by Human Rights Watch

Details: Nation

Violated Rights: the 2013 World Report by Human Rights Watch

Details: 07 February 2013; Boris Bruk

Human Rights Watch has presented its 23rd annual World Report. The 665-page document assesses the situation in more than 90 countries. IMR Analyst Boris Bruk notes the increasing pessimism of human rights activists with the return of Vladimir Putin to the Russian presidency.

Back in the USSR

Details: Politics

Back in the USSR

Details: 06 February 2013; Ekaterina Mishina

Recent amendments to the Russian Criminal Code have significantly expanded the definition of “espionage” and “treason.” According to IMR Advisor Ekaterina Mishina, a prominent legal expert, the charge of “treason” can now be leveled against practically any Russian citizen.

Leonid Grigoriev: Why Oil Prices Will Not Drop Below $80 Per Barrel

Details: Economics

Leonid Grigoriev: Why Oil Prices Will Not Drop Below $80 Per Barrel

Details: 05 February 2013; Olga Khvostunova

Global energy analysts are revising their forecasts for the coming decade. Industrialization in developing countries, followed by a serious recession, a “shale gas revolution” in the U.S., the development of new production technologies, and the emergence of new market players have all led to a shift in the balance of forces. IMR’s Olga Khvostunova spoke to Professor Leonid Grigoriev, advisor to the director of the Russian Energy Agency, about the current situation and its implications for the Russian oil and gas market.

How Gazprom Snoozed through the “Shale Gas Revolution”

Details: Economics

How Gazprom Snoozed through the “Shale Gas Revolution”

Details: 05 February 2013; Olga Khvostunova

The "shale gas revolution" in the United States is changing the world’s energy map. The International Energy Agency’s latest predictions suggest that by 2035 America will have become the world’s largest gas producer, outpacing Russia. Until recently, Gazprom, Russia’s natural gas monopoly, has been skeptical about such forecasts. As IMR Analyst Olga Khvostunova points out, Gazprom’s lack of long-term vision can have negative implications both for the company and for the country.

2013 Summer Institute at Columbia University to Study Russian-Speaking Diaspora

Details: Nation

2013 Summer Institute at Columbia University to Study Russian-Speaking Diaspora

Details: 05 February 2013

On June 9-29, 2013, Columbia University will host a three-week institute entitled “America’s Russian-Speaking Immigrants and Refugees: 20th Century Migration and Memory,” sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The institute welcomes college and university teachers and independent scholars to apply to this special program designed to enrich their understanding of the four waves of Russian-speaking immigration to the United States.

Putin’s Tricks, or Where Do Elections Go?

Details: Politics

Putin’s Tricks, or Where Do Elections Go?

Details: 01 February 2013; Tatiana Stanovaya

One of the riddles of the first year of Vladimir Putin’s “new” presidency has been the return of direct gubernatorial elections and their subsequent rollback. One can find a great many analytical materials on this subject in Russian media, but the “home kitchen” remains off-screen. Tatiana Stanovaya, head of the analytical department at the Center for Political Technologies and an IMR advisor, considers why the Kremlin reversed its own decision.

Sacrificial Offering à la Homo Sovieticus

Details: Law

Sacrificial Offering à la Homo Sovieticus

Details: 31 January 2013; Ekaterina Mishina

The Kremlin’s decision to retaliate against Russian orphans after the passage of the U.S. Magnitsky Act was a continuation of Soviet traditions. IMR Advisor Ekaterina Mishina, a prominent Russian legal expert, notes that the entire history of the USSR was marked by a hypocritical “care for children.”

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