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The arrest of Sergei Furgal showcases the hollowness of the Kremlin’s party system

Details: 21 July 2020; Yana Gorokhovskaia

On July 20, Vladimir Putin finally dismissed Sergei Furgal, governor of Russia’s Far Eastern region of Khabarovsk Krai, who had been earlier arrested on murder charges. His replacement was also named—fellow LDPR member Mikhail Degtyarev. Furgal’s arrest on July 9 sparked massive protests in Khabarovsk that have continued for over 10 days. While arrests of politicians have become routine in Russia, the scale of the unrest in Khabarovsk highlights the growing tension between Moscow and the regions, as well as the artificial nature of the party system.

Details: Analysis

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

Details: 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.

Details: Analysis

How Paul Whelan Fell Victim to Hostage Diplomacy

Details: 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.

Details: Analysis

Something is rotten in the state of Russia

How waste management became a problem for the government

Details: 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.

Details: Analysis

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

Details: 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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