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A Doctor for Medvedev

Details: 05 November 2013; Tatiana Stanovaya

In October, the head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights and Human Welfare Gennady Onishchenko—a legendary figure in Russian politics—lost his job. He was a key player in the Kremlin’s introduction of trade sanctions against “problem countries.” Sources in the media say that a possible reason for his resignation was mental insanity. However, political scientist Tatyana Stanovaya believes that insanity has become the norm in Russia’s new political reality.

Details: Politics

Russia and China Move Closer to Energy Partnership

Details: 04 November 2013; Donald N. Jensen

The visit by Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev to China once again highlighted the strategic importance that Moscow attaches to Asia. Donald N. Jensen, Resident Fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, notes that the prospects for cooperation with Beijing may not be as good as the Kremlin hopes.

Details: Law

The Soviet Legacy: The Impact of Early Bolshevik Law Felt Up to the Present

Details: 01 November 2013; Ekaterina Mishina

The early Soviet criminal norms formed the basis for arbitrary interpretation and selective application of the law, as well as for judicial arbitrariness. IMR Advisor Ekaterina Mishina, a prominent Russian legal expert, contends that the legacy of that era is still being felt.

Details: Nation

Russia Is Above the Law: Where Pogroms Could Lead

Details: 30 October 2013; Tatiana Stanovaya

In mid-October, after the murder of 25-year-old Yegor Shcherbakov in Moscow’s Biryulyovo district, allegedly by a man from the Caucasus region, local residents supported by nationalist organizations stormed a wholesale vegetable market mainly employing migrant workers. Such ethnic violence is becoming increasingly frequent in Russia. According to political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya, racial tension is a time bomb that may have dire consequences for the country.

Details: Politics

Apocalyptic Forecast for Russia

Ilan Berman’s new book, Implosion: The End of Russia and What It Means for America

Details: 29 October 2013; Daria Mattis

This fall, prominent U.S. political scientist Ilan Berman presented his new book titled Implosion: The End of Russia and What It Means for America, in which he analyzes Russia’s transformation and identifies a number of key trends that define its domestic and foreign policies. Harriman Institute Visiting Scholar Daria Mattis reviews the book.

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