Institute of Modern Russia

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• 30 Years of the USSR's Dissolution

Ivan Kurilla: “Russia and the U.S. have defined themselves through opposing each other for almost a hundred years”

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08 June 2021

Olga Khvostunova

December 26, 2021, will mark 30 years since the Soviet Union was officially dissolved. As such, the Institute of Modern Russia is launching a series of interviews with experts to discuss the post-Soviet decades and identify the key issues of the Russian transition and their impact on Russia’s political system and society today. In the second interview of the series, Professor of History and International Relations, Dr. Ivan Kurilla discussed the deterioration of U.S.-Russian relations, mutual demonization, and the need for a new discourse to replace the outdated language of the Cold War..

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• Longreads
• 30 Years of the USSR's Dissolution

Lev Gudkov: “The unity of the empire in Russia is maintained by three institutions: the school, the army, and the police”

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03 May 2021

Olga Khvostunova

December 26, 2021, will mark 30 years since the Soviet Union was officially dissolved. As such, the Institute of Modern Russia is launching a series of interviews with experts to discuss the post-Soviet decades, identify the key issues of the Russian transition, and their impact on the political system and society today. In the first interview, the head of the Levada Center, Lev Gudkov, spoke about Russia’s conservative revanche, the reproduction of Soviet myths, the stability of authoritarian power, and the “double consciousness” of the Russian people.

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Why negotiations on Donbass failed

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22 April 2021

Andrei Piontkovsky

On April 16-20, another attempt was made to resolve the military conflict in eastern Ukraine. France, Germany, and Ukraine (Trilateral Contact Group) convened for consultations, with Russia joining the talks (“Normandy format”). Once again, the negotiations ended in stalemate, as the parties failed to agree on measures to reduce escalation on the contact line in Donbass. Against this backdrop, the fact that Vladimir Putin didn’t even mention Ukraine in his recent address to the Federal Assembly is alarming.

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“Mariupol Crisis”

How Ukraine Became a Key Factor in U.S.-Russian Relations

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24 March 2021

Olga Khvostunova

In recent weeks, the Biden administration has drawn a tough line with Moscow. In an interview with IMR, political commentator Andrei Piontkovsky dissects the state of U.S-Russian relations, the Western sanctions, and the growing crisis in Ukraine.

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Navalny’s return to Russia: a missed opportunity or systemic failure?

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01 March 2021

Ofer Fridman

Alexei Navalny’s much-publicized return to Russia, his arrest and criminal trial triggered a new wave of protests across Russia. However, according to Ofer Fridman, this short-lived upheaval has been a wasted historical opportunity to turn anti-Putin activism into pro-Russia politics.

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How the West Can Defeat the Putin Regime

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05 January 2021

Andrei Piontkovsky

In recent months, the Western political establishment has reached an unprecedented consensus regarding the Putin regime. Another round of sanctions against its malign activities seems inevitable. However, to make sanctions truly effective, the West should target the corrupt Russian oligarchs who support this regime. Such measures will help clear the Western financial systems of criminal Russian assets and weaken the regime, all the while enjoying the overwhelming support of the Russian people.

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100 years of legalized abortion: “Don’t throw the woman out with the bathwater"

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18 November 2020

Ekaterina Mishina

In 1920, Soviet Russia was the first country in the world to legalize abortion. However, 100 years later, the world has seen a noticeable regression on the issue. Not only in modern Russia, but also in countries such as Poland and the United States, conservative forces are actively seeking to ban abortion. According to legal scholar Ekaterina Mishina, these efforts will have devastating consequences.

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Why the West Should Save Belarus

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17 November 2020

Natalia Radina

For over 100 days mass protests against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko have been shaking Belarus. Despite rigged and lost elections, harsh criticisms and sanctions of the West, Lukashenko continues to forcefully retain power. IMR reprints this article by Natalia Radina, editor-in-chief of Charter97.org, an independent outlet dedicated to Belarus, in which she explains why imposing harsher sanctions on the Lukashenko regime will save Belarusian civil society that fights bravely for freedom and against tyranny.

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The Magnificent Seven, or Why Russia Needs Lifetime Senators

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10 November 2020

Ekaterina Mishina

In late October, Vladimir Putin introduced to the State Duma a new bill on the formation procedure of Russia’s Federation Council. The amendments, introduced as part of the constitutional reform, will allow head of state to appoint lifetime senators. Legal scholar Ekaterina Mishina evaluated the key ideas of this proposal.

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Sergei Davidis: “The Russian authorities aim at discrediting the entire human rights movement”

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30 October 2020

Olga Khvostunova

October 30 marks the Day of Political Prisoners in Russia. According to the latest data, there are currently 331 in the country. Sergei Davidis, Memorial council member and head of its political prisoners program, explains whom the Russian state is trying to repress.