Media Must-Reads - Institute of Modern Russia

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The Kremlin’s Perpetual Geopolitics, the Putin Myth, and Russia’s Long Search for Freedom

16–22 April

Details: 23 April 2016

In this week’s Western media highlights, Stephen Kotkin in Foreign Affairs analyzes Russia’s foreign policy, which for centuries has been characterized by “soaring ambitions that have exceeded the country’s capabilities.” And in Vox, Mark Galeotti argues that Vladimir Putin is not as powerful as many Western observers imagine. Meanwhile, in the Russian media, Vedomosti covers an analysis by a group of economists analyze the country’s grim outlook for the upcoming decade, while human rights activists discuss the century-long transformations that have occurred in the Russian government and the public mind.

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Putin’s War of Smoke and Mirrors, How the Panama Leak Will Change the World, Russia’s Cultural Determinism

9–15 April

Details: 15 April 2016

In this week’s Western media highlights, Eerik-Niiles Kross discusses Putin’s hybrid war against the West, while Leonid Bershidsky comments on the Russian president’s latest call-in show. In the Russian media, Sergei Medvedev argues that the Panama papers scandal is the result of the work of three forces—net activism, demand for honest politics and direct democracy, and that they will eventually bring change in Russia. And Dmitri Travin suggests that Russia's current aversion to democracy is determined by historical reasons rather than the cultural fatalism.

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The Panama Papers, Putin’s National Guard, and the Double Bureaucracy

2–8 April

Details: 08 April 2016

In this week’s Western media highlights, Mark Galeotti argues in Vox that the Panama Papers reveal that the real currency in Russia in not money but political power—if you have power, you can always get the money, which makes it difficult to find Vladimir Putin’s complicity in the exposed offshore operations. And Stephen Blank underscores in his op-ed for the American Interest that it is impossible for the West to expect any kind of strategic cooperation with Putin’s regime. Meanwhile, in the Russian media, analysts discuss the duplicity of the Russian governance system and the sudden law-enforcement reform proposed by the president.

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Authoritarianism Goes Global, the End of Cheap Oil, and Russian Political Language

26 March – 1 April

Details: 01 April 2016

In this week’s Western media highlight, democracy experts Christopher Walker, Marc Plattner, and Larry Diamond discuss in the American Interest the global uprising of authoritarianism, focusing on Russia, China and Iran. And Foreign Policy highlighted this week Russia’s decision to boycott the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C., thus raising concerns among Western security experts. Meanwhile, in the Russian media Mikhail Krutikhin writes that more troubles await the country’s energy industry in the light of low oil prices, while Denis Dragunsky explains how Russia’s vague and ambiguous political language plays in the hands of the Kremlin propaganda.

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The Kremlin’s Pyrrhic Victory in Syria, How Russians View Corruption, and Five Myths about America Circulated in Russia

19–25 March

Details: 25 March 2016

In this week’s Western media highlights, Jeffrey Stacey writes in Foreign Affairs that the Kremlin can claim “victory” in Syria, but its decision to pull out was in fact motivated by economic and PR concerns rather than goal achievement. Meanwhile, in Russia’s RBC Daily, analysts dissected the paradoxical ways Russians view corruption—by condemning corruption in the upper echelons of government and finding bribery somewhat acceptable. And in his commentary for Slon.ru, Vladislav Inozemtsev dismantles five common anti-American myths circulated in the Russian media today.

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Putin’s Syrian Surprise, A Hollow Superpower, and the Kremlin’s Changing Course

12–18 March

Details: 18 March 2016

In this week’s Western media highlights, writing for the National Interest, Nicolas Gvosdev offers several explanations for Vladimir Putin’s sudden decision to withdraw Russian troops from Syria. And the Economist’s editorial board argues that “Putin’s foreign policy is born of weakness and made for television.” In the Russian media, Alexander Baunov points out that the pullout should not come as a surprise, since the Kremlin has accomplished all of its major objectives in Syria.

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The New Interventionists, Putin’s Surprises, and Why Change in Russia Is Not Possible

5 – 11 March

Details: 11 March 2016

In this week’s Western media highlights, Mark Leonard writes in Project Syndicate that the post-Cold War international order is being challenged at several fronts simultaneously by countries like Russia, Iran, China and Saudi Arabia. And Stephen Blank points out in his comment for the Atlantic Council that the West (specifically the U.S. experts and policymakers) fail to fully comprehend Russia’s behavior and its motives. Meanwhile, in the Russian media, Yakov Mirkin continues the debate on the poor state of the Russian economy.

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Putin’s Rational Choices, The Chechen Gambit, and Fatal Amnesia

February 27–March 4

Details: 04 March 2016

Foreign Affairs that the Kremlin’s incursions into Crimea, eastern Ukraine, and Syria should not come as a surprise, as they were driven by geopolitical interests. In Foreign Policy, Tatia Lemondjava explains the logic behind Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov’s recent announcement that he will resign in April. Meanwhile, in the Russian media, Sergei Medvedev discusses why the national media barely covered two tragedies that shook the Runet (the Russian Internet)—the mining disaster in Vorkuta and the murder of a four-year-old in Moscow.

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Nemtsov’s Murder Anniversary, the Effects of Propaganda, and Putin’s "Useful Idiots"

20–26 February

Details: 26 February 2016

In this week’s Western media highlights, Alina Polyakova explains in Foreign Policy why Vladimir Putin’s influence in Europe should neither be blamed on the EU nor taken lightly. And in the newest installment of her American Interest series of articles, Lilia Shevtsova notes that Western “pragmatists” often borrow their arguments directly from the Kremlin’s playbook. Meanwhile, in Russia, Novaya Gazeta published a must-read investigation into Boris Nemtsov’s murder. And Lev Gudkov, head of the Levada Center, analyzes the effects of the propaganda campaign in Russia.

Details: Media Must-Reads

The Problem With Lavrov, Russia’s Moves in Syria, and “Four Patriotisms”

13–19 February

Details: 20 February 2016

In this week’s media highlights, we introduce a new twist by recapping not only Western media on Russia, but also three key analytical articles from the Russian media that help untangle the intricacies of the problems facing Russia today. In Foreign Policy, Mark Galeotti profiles Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, arguing that this bright diplomat deserves a better position than just articulating the Kremlin’s narrative. And in Forbes Russia, Alexander Rubtsov studies Russian patriotism—a concept that President Vladimir Putin has recently designated as Russia’s national idea.

Institute of Modern Russia

Latest Articles

The Kremlin’s Perpetual Geopolitics, the Putin Myth, and Russia’s Long Search for Freedom

16–22 April

Putin’s War of Smoke and Mirrors, How the Panama Leak Will Change the World, Russia’s Cultural Determinism

9–15 April

The Panama Papers, Putin’s National Guard, and the Double Bureaucracy

2–8 April

Authoritarianism Goes Global, the End of Cheap Oil, and Russian Political Language

26 March – 1 April

The Kremlin’s Pyrrhic Victory in Syria, How Russians View Corruption, and Five Myths about America Circulated in Russia

19–25 March

Putin’s Syrian Surprise, A Hollow Superpower, and the Kremlin’s Changing Course

12–18 March

The New Interventionists, Putin’s Surprises, and Why Change in Russia Is Not Possible

5 – 11 March

Putin’s Rational Choices, The Chechen Gambit, and Fatal Amnesia

February 27–March 4

Nemtsov’s Murder Anniversary, the Effects of Propaganda, and Putin’s "Useful Idiots"

20–26 February

The Problem With Lavrov, Russia’s Moves in Syria, and “Four Patriotisms”

13–19 February

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