Institute of Modern Russia

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“Sovereign Virus”: Fake News as the Kremlin’s Crisis Management Tool

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16 July 2020

Gregory Asmolov

As the coronavirus pandemic rages on in Russia, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office reported that the amount of false information online has increased tenfold. At the same time, according to human rights activists, the government’s efforts to fight fakes undermine freedom of speech. Indeed, recent studies show that fake news has become one of the Kremlin’s latest tools of population control and domination in the online space.

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How Paul Whelan Fell Victim to Hostage Diplomacy

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15 July 2020

Dante Matero

In mid-June, a Moscow court sentenced the former US Marine Paul Whelan to 16 years in a maximum-security prison colony on charges of espionage. The harsh verdict, in what many observers see as a sham trial, marked another low point in US-Russia relations. More importantly, it highlighted a worrisome trend—the Kremlin’s willingness to take US citizens hostage and use them as bargaining chips in its geopolitical game.

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Something is rotten in the state of Russia

How waste management became a problem for the government

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14 July 2020

András Tóth-Czifra

In January 2019 Russia embarked on a significant reform of waste management, an increasingly visible and emotive issue that has led to protests in several regions in recent years. Eighteen months later it seems that the reform, instead of solving this issue, is highlighting some chronic policymaking problems.

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US reaction to “Talibangate” shows effectiveness of Kremlin’s influence campaigns

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07 July 2020

Yana Gorokhovskaia

Lacking a superpower’s resources, the Kremlin has tapped into its Soviet toolkit of active measures in pursuit of geopolitical strength. While influence campaigns stress-test democracies and disrupt political discourse around the world, the US—with its deep political schisms—remains particularly vulnerable to their damaging effects.

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New Russian Identity Makes Way into the Constitution

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26 June 2020

Dmitry Shlapentokh

June 25 marked the first day of the constitutional plebiscite in Russia, which will last until July 1. Apart from the keenly discussed amendments to the Russian constitution that will allow Vladimir Putin to stay in power until at least 2036, a less noticed, but still crucial change has been introduced—codifying the status of Russian as the language of a state-forming nation.

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Why Putin Needs a “Nationwide Vote”

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16 June 2020

Yana Gorokhovskaia

Before the COVID-19 pandemic swept across Russia, the Kremlin was planning to hold a referendum on constitutional reforms that would allow Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036. The vote will now take place in late June. The move signals that Putin remains invested in the legitimacy of popular approval, and the best possible outcome of the vote is likely to be produced now.

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Lessons in division: is it a good idea to merge Russian regions?

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03 June 2020

András Tóth-Czifra

An attempted merger of the Arkhangelsk Region and the Nenets Autonomous District in Russia’s north has reignited debates about territorial reforms in the country. An examination of previous attempts in 2003-2008 shows that the government has not learned its lesson, which threatens to elevate the risks in regional politics.

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Why the Kremlin Is Not Giving Up Assad

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14 May 2020

Ksenia Svetlova

A survey produced by an obscure pro-Kremlin website recently sparked global debate about the Kremlin’s potentially abandoning Syrian President Bashar Assad, a long-time Russian ally in the Middle East. While Moscow is indeed increasingly unhappy with Assad, there is little indication that Vladimir Putin has changed his game in the region.

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Is Putin’s Popularity Really Declining?

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13 May 2020

Yana Gorokhovskaia

Last week, Vladimir Putin’s approval rating dropped to 59 percent—its lowest ever level. Some observers attributed this decline to Putin’s handling of the ongoing coronavirus crisis. But Yana Gorokhovskaia argues that when it comes to approval ratings, perception of the president’s performance matters more than facts.

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The Malaise of the Russian Regions

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04 May 2020

András Tóth-Czifra

The COVID-19 pandemic hit Russia hard, with Moscow emerging as the epicenter and regions expected to reach peak numbers in the coming weeks. From the onset of the crisis, Vladimir Putin has delegated full responsibility for its management to regional governments in what might look like a sudden break with his centralized approach. However, regions have not been given real power, but rather left to their own devices with little guidance from the Kremlin.