Institute of Modern Russia

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Politics

The "Loyal" Russian Bureaucrat and the Temptations of Courchevel

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26 September 2012

Tatiana Stanovaya

Earlier this August, a draft law banning government officials from owning real estate outside Russia or having offshore bank accounts was submitted to the State Duma. It seems that the bill has not been taken seriously by the officials, nor by the press, since, in Russia, similar restrictions have been traditionally evaded, and many government officials and deputies – with no fear of disclosure –are successfully combining business with public service. On the other hand, the media has reported, based on unofficial leaks, that Vladimir Putin issued a secret order requiring government officials to return their assets from abroad within a year. Those who disobey will be punished. Until now, foreign assets served as restraint on the road toward full-blown authoritarianism. Tatyana Stanovaya, IMR expert and the head of the Analytics Department of the Center for Political Technologies, discusses what could happen if this prohibition stands and whether the “end of Courchevel” (i.e. end of foreign property ownership) is will also be the end of Democratic Russia.

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Economics

The Case of RAO UES: the World's Largest Monopoly Break Up in History

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24 September 2012

Igor Booth

During the recent Asian Pacific Ocean Economic (APEC) summit, Russia marketed natural gas pipelines to Asia and the railway route from Asia to Europe. However, one may reasonably doubt the ability of Russian monopolies to execute such ambitious projects. Recent news about Russian Railways reveals a deep crisis within the company, while Gazprom’s high current profits mask the collapse of its long-term strategy. According to IMR economic advisor, Igor Booth, these two Russian giants, in order to reach their full potential, need to adopt best change management practices and, in particular, study the Russian electric power sector’s experience of reform.

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World

“Russian” Votes in U.S. Elections

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21 September 2012

Vladimir Kara-Murza

Unlike many other U.S. diasporas, Russian Americans have never had a serious political voice. No Russian-speaking member has ever been elected to Congress, and presidential campaigns have never paid much attention to “Russian” voters – despite the fact that, even according to the official estimates, there are more than 3 million U.S. citizens of Russian origin. IMR Advisor Vladimir Kara-Murza discusses the possibility of “Russian America” developing its own political identity.

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Politics

Khimki: Local Elections, National Importance

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17 September 2012

Vladimir Kara-Murza

Last week, the electoral commission in Khimki, a northern suburb of Moscow, completed the nomination process for the upcoming mayoral election. Twenty-six candidates are planning to take part in the October 14th vote, with nine of them already registered. Yet the real battle will be between two contenders: Oleg Shakhov, the regime-backed candidate, and Yevgenia Chirikova, a leader of the Russian opposition. IMR Advisor Vladimir V. Kara-Murza discusses the importance of this campaign for the country’s protest movement.

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Nation

"Russia Rising": 30 Graphic Designers Challenge Putin's Regime

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13 September 2012

"The current regime is openly disdainful of its constituents, and while it generally does not threaten their lives, it does assault their human dignity and their basic freedoms. Our hope is to help lend a well-pitched voice to the outcry," says Misha Beletsky, New York graphic designer, art director for Abbeville Press, and co-curator of the "Russia Rising: Votes for Freedom" exhibition. The showcase, responding to recent political turmoil in Russia through protest posters, will run in New York September 4th through 22nd at the School of Visual Arts' Westside Gallery, 141 West 21 Street.

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Politics

Russia’s Opposition Vote: Pro et Contra

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12 September 2012

September 15th is the last day for candidates to register for election to the Coordinating Council of the Russian opposition. According to its proponents, the new structure, by having elected members, will legitimize opposition leaders in the eyes of the grassroots, and consolidate the protest movement, which has become a major force following the mass rallies in 2011 and 2012. Yet not all opposition figures are backing this idea: skeptics fear that internal competition will weaken the protest movement and lead to a split in its ranks.

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Nation

Benefit in Support of Pussy Riot’s Political Statement

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11 September 2012

On September 10th, a benefit for the Pussy Riot feminist punk band took place in Lombard Freid Gallery in New York. The walls were covered in flat-screen televisions showing five original videos of the band's performances filmed in various locations in Moscow, culminating in their final, and most provocative, act at the Christ the Savior Church. The event, co-sponsored by Amnesty International, attracted a mixed Manhattan crowd of artists, journalists, human rights activists, and band sympathizers.

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Nation

The Education Controversy

New Russian law on education to significantly cut school and university opportunities

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10 September 2012

Olga Khvostunova

New legislation in Russia, scheduled to be implemented before the end of the 2012, is expected to result in drastic changes in the country's education system. These changes will affect all educational levels, from pre-schools to universities, with foreseeable reforms in both the schooling and school funding of such institutions. IMR analyst Olga Khvostunova and independent journalist Xenia Prilepskaya review the upcoming reforms.

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Nation

Pussy Riot Benefit at Lombard Freid

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06 September 2012

Lombard Freid Gallery is pleased to announce a one-time event for the benefit of the Pussy Riot Feminist Art Collective on Monday, September 10, from 6-10 pm at 518 W 19th Street, Manhattan, NY. All proceeds from the event will go to assisting the families and defense fund of the jailed band members.

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Nation

A Day Lost: The End of Russia's Tandem

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05 September 2012

Tatiana Stanovaya

On August 8, while Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was traveling to South Ossetia, a documentary was posted on the Internet charging him, the former Commander-in-Chief and President of the Russian Federation, with criminal neglect regarding South Ossetia on the eve of Russia’s 2008 war with Georgia. The influential military commanders interviewed in the film claimed that Medvedev’s delay in launching a military attack on Georgia significantly increased the war’s casualties. Who are these filmmakers, and why did they producethis film? Tatyana Stanovaya provides us with some possible answers found in the Russian media.