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Is Putin’s Popularity Really Declining?

Details: 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.

Details: News

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Message from IMR Director

Details: 11 May 2020

For over 10 years, the Institute of Modern Russia has been working to raise awareness in the West about critical issues of the Russian politics under Vladimir Putin. Today, amidst the global crisis, we turn to our readers for support.

Details: Human Rights

April 2020: Journalist Abdulmumin Gadzhiyev, activist Konstantin Kotov, the BARS case

Details: 05 May 2020; Diana Fishman

April saw the prosecution of several cases related to extremism and terrorism intensify. New charges were brought against a Dagestani journalist, Abdulmumin Gadzhiyev, while four activists of the BARS monarchist movement received guilty verdicts. In a separate case, the prison term of Konstantin Kotov, a participant in the 2019 Moscow protests, was remitted, however human rights activists largely viewed the court’s decision as a mockery of justice.

Details: Analysis

The Malaise of the Russian Regions

Details: 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.

Details: Analysis

How Belarus Maneuvers between Russia and the West

Details: 30 April 2020; Dmitry Shlapentokh

Recently, Belarus emerged on the US international agenda as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Minsk to meet President Alexander Lukashenko in what was the first such high profile encounter between the two countries in 26 years. The visit alarmed Moscow, which has long been nursing a plan to absorb Belarus as part of the Union State. Minsk’s latest feud with the Kremlin showcases Lukashenko’s ability to successfully manipulate geopolitical differences between Russia and the West, and to extract surprising concessions from its significantly more powerful neighbor.

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