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

Details: 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.

Details: Law

Reforming the Police

Details: 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.

Details: Politics

New Russian “Patriots”

Details: 25 October 2012; Sasha de Vogel

The new political season in Russia has opened with a round of hardline legislative changes. This raises the issue of the Putin regime's changing nature: Is this hardening a temporary phenomenon, or a dangerous long-term trend? What are the moving forces behind the increasingly authoritarian character of the regime? What are the new trend’s features? What kind of threat does it pose to the country? Our Institute’s analysts have attempted to address these issues.

Details: Nation

Russian Media in the Soviet Renaissance Era

Details: 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.

Details: Politics

From Pravda to NTV: The Anatomy of Kremlin Propaganda

The Anatomy of Kremlin Propaganda

Details: 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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