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September 2020: Yuri Dmitriev, Irina Slavina, Rashid Maisigov

Details: 07 October 2020; Diana Fishman

In September, Russia’s political system was particularly cruel toward its people. Karelia’s Supreme Court has increased the prison term for the historian Yuri Dmitriev from 3.5 to 13 years. Ingush journalist Rashid Maisigov, former editor of the opposition newspaper Fortanga, was sentenced to three years in prison on bogus charges. Opposition journalist Irina Slavina set herself on fire in the center of Nizhny Novgorod after months of incessant pressure by the special services.

Details: Opinions

Why the cancellation of Nord Stream-2 will punish Russian citizens, not the Kremlin

Details: 24 September 2020; Vladislav Inozemtsev

The poisoning of Alexey Navalny and political consequences it entails for Russia have caused heated political debates in the West. At the center of discussion is the question of whether or not to cancel the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project that many of the Kremlin opponents have been campaigning against. However, there are reasons to believe that such sanctions will not have the desired effect on Moscow’s politics, but instead will result in ordinary Russian citizens paying the price.

Details: Opinions

Revenge of Stalinism

Details: 11 September 2020; Leonid Nevzlin

Belarus and Russia are the two hotspots of the post-Soviet space, where Stalinism has claimed full revenge. The Lukashenko and Putin regimes are rooted in neo-Stalinism, which holds millions of people hostage. Amidst mass protests in Belarus and the declining ratings of the Russian authorities, the peoples of these countries now face a crucial historical choice: a free society or a neo-Stalinist dictatorship.

Details: Analysis

How to Win Votes and Mobilize People in Russia

A closer look at the September regional elections

Details: 10 September 2020; András Tóth-Czifra

On September 13, Russia will hold its annual “single day of voting” with dozens of regions electing representatives to a range of public offices. While few Western observers pay close attention to Russian regional politics, these elections may prove more interesting than usual.

Details: Analysis

Russian Compatriots in the US: Soft Power Tools or Trojan Horses?

Details: 02 September 2020; Anna Williams

Over the last decade, Russia’s compatriot policy—officially represented as a soft power tool for advancing Russian culture—has been increasingly used by the Kremlin as a cover to promote its geopolitical interests. Analysis of the activities of the Russian compatriot organizations in the US shows that they tend to speak on behalf of the entire Russian diaspora, hijacking a good-natured debate on US-Russian relations and conflating the often diverging interests of the Russian Americans.

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