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Mobilization of Russia’s Opposition

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Mobilization of Russia’s Opposition

Details: 05 May 2015; Alexander Podrabinek

On April 17, Mikhail Kasyanov’s Republican Party of Russia—People’s Freedom Party (RPR-Parnas) and Alexei Navalny’s Party of Progress announced the creation of an oppositional coalition, which has since been joined by other opposition forces, in preparation for Russia’s upcoming elections. However, according to writer Alexander Podrabinek, under the current political regime even unified opposition forces have very slight chances of winning. The April 28 decision by Russia’s Ministry of Justice to bar the Party of Progress from registering in the upcoming elections proves this point.

Sergei Aleksashenko: “Like homeopathy, sanctions work slowly”

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Sergei Aleksashenko: “Like homeopathy, sanctions work slowly”

Details: 04 May 2015; Leonid Martynyuk

The Institute of Modern Russia continues its series of interviews with Russian and Western experts on the situation in Russia, its relationship with the West, and the future of its political system. Journalist Leonid Martynyuk spoke with former chairman of Russia’s Central Bank, economist Sergei Aleksashenko, about the social and political situation in the country, the Kremlin’s propaganda, Putin’s tactics in Donbass, and the efficiency of Western sanctions.

Corruption Circle

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Corruption Circle

Details: 08 April 2015; Alexander Podrabinek

The case of deputy of city council Tatyana Kotlyar, who has registered about a thousand immigrants at her apartment for free, is now being prosecuted in Obninsk. According to writer Alexander Podrabinek, this criminal case against Kotlyar is a natural extension of a thoroughly corrupted political system and illegal laws that contradict the provisions of the Russian Constitution.

Dmitry Oreshkin: “In the light of Nemtsov’s murder, Putin looks like a weak and dependent politician”

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Dmitry Oreshkin: “In the light of Nemtsov’s murder, Putin looks like a weak and dependent politician”

Details: 06 April 2015; Leonid Martynyuk

The Institute of Modern Russia continues its series of interviews with Russian and Western experts on the situation in Russia, its relationship with the West, and the future of its political system. Journalist Leonid Martynyuk speaks with prominent Russian political scientist Dmitry Oreshkin about the assassination of Boris Nemtsov, Putin’s policy toward Ukraine, and its consequences.

Andrei Piontkovsky: “Putin’s Concept of the ‘Russian World’ Threatens All Territories with a Russian Population”

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Andrei Piontkovsky: “Putin’s Concept of the ‘Russian World’ Threatens All Territories with a Russian Population”

Details: 24 March 2015; Leonid Martynyuk

The Institute of Modern Russia introduces a series of interviews with Russian and Western experts on the situation in Russia, its relationship with the West, and the future of its political system. In the first article of the series, Leonid Martynyuk interviews prominent Russian political analyst Andrei Piontkovsky.

Akhmed Zakayev: “The decision for the ‘hit list’ was made not in Grozny, but in Moscow.”

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Akhmed Zakayev: “The decision for the ‘hit list’ was made not in Grozny, but in Moscow.”

Details: 20 March 2015; Elena Servettaz

Akhmed Zakayev, political emigrant and head of the government of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria in exile, spoke with Elena Servettaz about his take on Boris Nemtsov’s murder and the involvement of the Chechen “North” battalion fighters, about the relationship between Ramzan Kadyrov and Vladimir Putin and the so-called “hit list” of the Russian opposition.

Lustrations: Threat or Hope?

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Lustrations: Threat or Hope?

Details: 10 March 2015; Alexander Podrabinek

Talk of lustrations has recently started up again in Russia. The discussion was provoked by the recent accusations against RPR-PARNAS activist Lev Dmitriyev of insulting a judge. Many people see lustrations as a hopeful pathway toward a democratic future for Russia. However, according to writer Alexander Podrabinek, for lustrations to succeed, the cleansing of totalitarian ideology should first take place in people’s minds.

Four Bullets in the Back of Russia’s Democracy

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Four Bullets in the Back of Russia’s Democracy

Details: 06 March 2015; Leonid Martynyuk

On February 27, Russian democratic opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was shot dead in the center of Moscow. Leonid Martynyuk, Nemtsov’s colleague and co-author, discusses the opposition leader’s political career and puts forward a theory about who could have ordered his killing.

Boris Nemtsov: “Putin’s main problem is that he despises the Commandments”

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Boris Nemtsov: “Putin’s main problem is that he despises the Commandments”

Details: 04 March 2015; Elena Servettaz

The murder of Boris Nemtsov came as a shock to people around the world, but especially for those who knew him personally. Over the last few days, hundreds of journalists, writers, and politicians have published articles, op-eds, and social media posts about their personal encounters and conversations with Nemtsov. Elena Servettaz shares her memories of the leader of the Russian opposition.

“It is [the] bigotry of lower expectations [to say] that Russians will always favor a strong man over democracy.” — Mark Lagon

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“It is [the] bigotry of lower expectations [to say] that Russians will always favor a strong man over democracy.” — Mark Lagon

Details: 03 March 2015; Olga Khvostunova

Unsurprisingly, Freedom House’s recent 2015 Freedom in the World report has shown a decline in civil liberties in Russia. Mark Lagon, the new president of Freedom House, spoke with IMR’s editor-in-chief Olga Khvostunova about Russia’s current political trajectory, Putin’s stakes in the Ukraine conflict, and what the West can do to empower Russian civil society organizations.

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