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Twelve Who Left: A New Wave of Russian Emigration
Robert Coalson, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty
More and more Russians have emigrated in recent years after deciding that the situation in their country will not improve in the near future. Many notable people have left because they had in one way or another made themselves a threat to the government, either by joining the opposition or by saying things that went against the Kremlin line. All 12 of these people feared for their lives and left Russia because they thought their new home countries could give them more protections and freedom of speech.
Putin’s Disunited Nation
Michael Khodarkovsky, The New York Times
As nationalist sentiments grow in Russia, it is becoming more and more difficult for Putin to contain them. Russia is not as united as Putin presents it to be: There are many different ethnicities living within the country and not all of them get along. All these groups have their own interests and needs, and only the most powerful ones have a meaningful say in the government.
Ukraine Is Losing Its Economic War With Russia
Mark Adomanis, Forbes
Even while Russia is suffering through its own economic crisis, it has managed to inflict significant damage on the Ukrainian economy, preventing it from developing as well as it could have. The West has so far not given substantial financial aid to the Kiev government, and without such aid the government has struggled to address the country’s economic problems. If Kiev is unable to build a strong economic foundation, it will be very difficult for the country to achieve stability and security.
Russia Bans ’Undesirable’ International Organizations Ahead of 2016 Elections
Alec Luhn, The Guardian
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have condemned the Russian government’s treatment of NGOs, saying its actions pose a major threat to civil society. Scholars say a new law on “undesirable” organizations appears to be designed to allow the Kremlin to shut down any organization it wants without justification. It is the latest in a series of laws that target groups whose views the government finds objectionable.
How Durable Are China-Russia Relations?
William Courtney, Davis Sedney, Kenneth Yalowitz, and Stephen Young, Reuters
Although China and Russia seem to be “buddy-buddy,” their relationship in the past has consistently been tense and unstable. There is still some tension between them because China is a rising power and Russia is not. Bilateral ties and trade are growing, but it is not clear if this is sustainable.
The Ruble Currency Storm Is Over, but Is the Russian Economy Ready for the Next One?
Sergey Aleksashenko, Brookings Institution
Although the drop in the ruble hit the Russian economy hard, it has been able to stabilize because the manufacturing sector was not negatively impacted, due to sustained state orders from the arms industry. The crisis will continue to haunt the economy, however, due to high inflation, a flawed budget, and declines in investment.
The Putin Paradox: Distrusted, Feared, and Yet Revered
Natalie Nougayrède, The Guardian
Despite Vladimir Putin’s approval rating skyrocketing after the annexation of Crimea, Russians may not actually approve of him as much as it seems. Because there is such high danger of getting in trouble for opposing the Kremlin, people are more likely to voice their support for Putin than disapproval. Society is well aware of government corruption and abuse of power, but there is something soothing for people about lying to themselves, so they continue to do so. To create a stable civil society, this pattern of lies must be broken and people must come to terms with what is really wrong with their lives and understand what they can do about it.
This week's roundup was compiled by Seraphima Mixon, Liza Layer and Caitlin Thompson.
