Opinions - Institute of Modern Russia

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Vladimir Gelman: “Russia’s leadership is increasingly facing problems of succession and lack of perspective”
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The Biden-Zelensky summit: security, threats, and “working on mistakes”

Sergei Davidis: “Repressions inside Russia Embolden the Putin Regime to Act More Aggressively Abroad”

Details: Opinions

Sergei Davidis: “Repressions inside Russia Embolden the Putin Regime to Act More Aggressively Abroad”

Details: 05 September 2019; Olga Khvostunova

According to the Memorial Human Rights Center, there are 313* political prisoners in Russia today—a record number in recent decades. How does one become a political prisoner? What do the cases of political persecution say about Vladimir Putin’s regime? Memorial council member and head of its political prisoners program Sergei Davidis discusses these and other questions in an interview with IMR’s Olga Khvostunova.

The Kremlin’s Oligarchs in the West

Details: Opinions

The Kremlin’s Oligarchs in the West

Details: 14 June 2019

Following the sanctioning of a number of top Russian oligarchs who used to do the Kremlin’s bidding in the West, the Russian government is now engaging less public figures to carry out its “delicate tasks and negotiations,” writes popular Russian Telegram-channel Maluta Skuratov.

Andrei Kozyrev: “Democracy Needs to be Fought for Every Day”

Details: Opinions

Andrei Kozyrev: “Democracy Needs to be Fought for Every Day”

Details: 14 July 2018; Olga Khvostunova

The Kremlin’s foreign policy post-2014 has constantly challenged the existing international order. Many experts believe that this foreign policy originates in Vladimir Putin’s anti-Western views. However, according to Russia’s former Foreign Minister, Andrei Kozyrev, the causes of Russian aggression are due to a consensus amongst the conservative elite which emerged as early as the mid-1990s. Kozyrev discussed these and other factors which determine Russia’s current foreign policy with IMR’s Olga Khvostunova.

Michael Khodarkovsky: “Democracy in Russia Is Not Only Possible—It’s Inevitable”

Details: Opinions

Michael Khodarkovsky: “Democracy in Russia Is Not Only Possible—It’s Inevitable”

Details: 15 March 2018; Olga Khvostunova

As Vladimir Putin is about to be re-elected for another presidential term thus becoming one of the longest serving Russian leaders in history, IMR's Olga Khvostunova sat down with Michael Khodarkovsky, Professor of History at Loyola University Chicago, to discuss Putin's legacy, the lessons of the Russian Revolution, the Russian government's attempts to whitewash the past, and the country's outlook for the future. Given the length of this interview, it is published in two parts. Part one is available below; part two will be released next week.

Michael Khodarkovsky: “Sweeping history under the rug does not save the country from future problems”

Details: Opinions

Michael Khodarkovsky: “Sweeping history under the rug does not save the country from future problems”

Details: 06 March 2018; Olga Khvostunova

As Vladimir Putin is about to be re-elected for another presidential term thus becoming one of the longest serving Russian leaders in history, IMR's Olga Khvostunova sat down with Michael Khodarkovsky, Professor of History at Loyola University Chicago, to discuss Putin's legacy, the lessons of the Russian Revolution, the Russian government's attempts to whitewash the past, and the country's outlook for the future. Given the length of this interview, it will be published in two parts. Part one is available below; part two will be released next week.

Daniel Fried: “This List Is a Missed Opportunity”

Details: Opinions

Daniel Fried: “This List Is a Missed Opportunity”

Details: 01 February 2018; Olga Khvostunova

Imrussia.org's editor-in-chief Olga Khvostunova spoke with Daniel Fried, distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council, former State Department's Coordinator for Sanctions Policy, about the contents and the meaning of the "Kremlin report," which was released by the U.S. Treasury on January 29.

Anders Åslund: “Sanction People Who Do Bad Things in Russia, Not Russians.”

Details: Opinions

Anders Åslund: “Sanction People Who Do Bad Things in Russia, Not Russians.”

Details: 23 January 2018; Olga Khvostunova

On January 29, the U.S. Treasury is set to submit the so-called “Kremlin Report,” a highly anticipated list of Russian individuals facing sanctions under Section 241 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). The report is already causing anxiety in the Russian elite. Olga Khvostunova spoke with Anders Åslund, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, co-author of the report “How to Identify the Kremlin Ruling Elite and its Agents.”

Vadim Prokhorov: “Where Are the Organizers, Mr Putin? Did You Fail This Case?”

Details: Opinions

Vadim Prokhorov: “Where Are the Organizers, Mr Putin? Did You Fail This Case?”

Details: 14 December 2017; Olga Khvostunova

More than two and a half years passed since Boris Nemtsov’s murder, one of the highest profile political assassinations of the 21st century, but the masterminds and the organizers of this crime remain at large. Vadim Prokhorov, lawyer for Zhanna Nemtsova, argues that the legal mechanisms inside Russia are not working to fully solve this crime, which means that the next step is to draw international attention to the case. In the interview with Olga Khvostunova, editor-in-chief of imrussia.org, Prokhorov shared his insights on who is behind Nemtsov’s murder, what legal and political tools can be engaged to push the investigation forward, and which of the Western leaders are prepared to turn a blind eye to the regime’s crimes for the sake of realpolitik..

Vladimir Pastukhov: “The Fate of Future Generations Is Being Tossed into the Furnace of Today’s ‘Stability.’”

Details: Opinions

Vladimir Pastukhov: “The Fate of Future Generations Is Being Tossed into the Furnace of Today’s ‘Stability.’”

Details: 31 May 2017; Nathan Andrews

In an interview with Open Russia Vladimir Pastukhov, political scientist and honorary senior research associate at University College London, discusses the current state of Russian society, Vladimir Putin’s political perspectives, the possibilities of the government making catastrophic mistakes, and the goals of the opposition. Given its length, this interview is published in two parts. Today, we are releasing the second part; the first part is available here.

Vladimir Pastukhov: “It’s the Putin Regime that Will Spark a Revolution”

Details: Opinions

Vladimir Pastukhov: “It’s the Putin Regime that Will Spark a Revolution”

Details: 25 May 2017; Nathan Andrews

In an interview with Open Russia Vladimir Pastukhov, political scientist and honorary senior research associate at University College London, discusses the current state of Russian society, Vladimir Putin’s political perspectives, the possibilities of the government making catastrophic mistakes, and the goals of the opposition. Given its length, this interview will be published in two parts. The first part is available today, the second will appear next week.

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