Institute of Modern Russia

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World

U.S. Experts Slam Putin’s “Paranoia,” Obama’s “Wishful Thinking” in Foreign Policy

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19 October 2012

The Kremlin’s insistence on undermining U.S. attempts to achieve a political transition in Syria, and its support for the regime of Bashar al-Assad could backfire against Russia’s interests in the Middle East. According to foreign policy experts who joined this week’s discussion at the Heritage Foundation in Washington D.C., Vladimir Putin is taking “a major gamble.”

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World

Yevgeny Satanovsky: The choice in Syria is between a bad scenario, a catastrophe, and an apocalypse

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18 October 2012

Olga Khvostunova

The Syrian crisis continues to escalate, and is slowly reaching the level of a regional catastrophe. Western countries, led by by the U.S. and France, insist on “Libyan-scenario-style” intervention. Russia and China are blocking U.N. Security Council resolutions that would implement Western policy. Yevgeny Satanovsky, head of the Moscow-based Middle East Institute, spoke with IMR’s Olga Khvostunova about the specifics of the Syrian war, and various scenarios of further developments in the region.

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Law

Reforming the Police

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16 October 2012

Ekaterina Mishina

On November 17th, 2012 the Institute of Modern Russian will hold a round table, entitled "No Boundaries in Russian Government Corruption," as a part of the 44th Annual Conference of the Association of the Slavic, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES). Today, we present an abridged version of the report by Sasha de Vogel, Columbia University MA Student, one of the three round table participants.

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Nation

Russian Media in the Soviet Renaissance Era

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12 October 2012

Within the last two weeks two prominent Russian journalists visited New York. One is Sergei Parkhomenko, former chief editor of Itogi magazine, currently the host of the "Sut' Sobyty" ("The Essence of Events") show on radio station Echo Moskvy. The other is Leonid Parfyonov, formerly the anchor of the program "Namedni" ("Recently") on NTV, now an independent filmmaker. The work of these two journalists has to a large extent shaped the landscape and the style of modern Russian journalism. The fact that neither is heading any of the major media outlets in the country is a sad commentary on the Putin era. The Kremlin-sanctioned attacks on the best editorial collectives were such dramatic events that they undermined, both institutionally and psychologically, the still fragile system of the Russian news media. Journalists were given a clear signal: the new regime would not tolerate criticism, dissent or disobedience.

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Politics

From Pravda to NTV: The Anatomy of Kremlin Propaganda

The Anatomy of Kremlin Propaganda

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10 October 2012

Vladimir Kara-Murza

The Kremlin is persisting in its attempts to discredit the opposition in the eyes of Russia’s citizens by accusing it of working for “foreign sponsors” and preparing to seize power by force. According to IMR Advisor Vladimir Kara-Murza, however, the regime’s propaganda attack could backfire against those who initiated it.

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Economics

Sergei Guriev: Before 2018 we'll have another presidential election

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09 October 2012

Olga Khvostunova

In September, the Russian government started to actively discuss the country's 2013 draft budget. The key issue is how to reduce the gap between the state's social responsibilities and its financial resources. On the eve of the new political season IMR's Olga Khvostunova spoke with Sergei Guriev, President of the New Economic School, about the government's future economic policies and their impact on the country's political development.

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Law

The Return of Stalinist “Justice”

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06 October 2012

Vladimir Kara-Murza

The new amendments to the Russian Penal Code, which have already passed the first reading in the State Duma, significantly expand the definition of “high treason” and open the way for mass prosecutions of Kremlin opponents. According to IMR Advisor Vladimir Kara-Murza, these changes could herald a return to “Stalinist” justice in Russia.

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Politics

October 20th and 21st : Russian Opposition Council Elections 

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03 October 2012

The Russian opposition movement has a long and difficult fight ahead of it. Every citizen who continues the fight for fair elections in Russia, and believes that the current parliament does not adequately, if at all, represent their interest, can now take action by giving power of representation to a candidate or group of candidates of his/her choice. The Institute of Modern Russia invites all Russian citizens to play an active role in the upcoming election by voting online, at the Regional Electoral Committee located at IMR's Manhattan office or in Washington DC.

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Politics

The Kremlin’s “Carrot” for the Opposition

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01 October 2012

The ruling United Russia party has proposed appointing opposition members to the regional governments. Having failed to suppress the protest movement, it appears that the authorities have decided to offer “carrots” to some of its leaders. If history is any guide, this initiative is unlikely to affect the opposition – but it can destroy the reputations of the defectors.

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Politics

Three is Too Many: Russian Duma Roots out Dissenters

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28 September 2012

Vladimir Kara-Murza

The protest sentiments manifested in recent months at mass rallies across Russia have reached the halls of the State Duma which had long ceased to be a “place for discussion.” Just three opposition lawmakers – Gennady Gudkov, Dimitri Gudkov, and Ilya Ponomarev – restored the half-forgotten atmosphere of parliamentary debates to the Duma chamber. The authorities, not surprisingly, are not tolerating this situation: Gudkov Sr. has already been expelled from parliament, while Ponomarev has been deprived of the right to speak (so far, for one month). IMR Advisor Vladimir Kara-Murza discusses the prospects for dissent in the Russian legislature.