Politics
Russia’s reaction to the prospect of ATACMS strikes Paid Members Public
The news that the United States will allow Ukraine to use its missiles to hit targets inside Russian territory was an unpleasant surprise for Russia’s leaders on Sunday evening. It is by no means certain that it will hand Ukrainian forces a significant advantage on the battlefield, but Vladimir
Narrow victory for Moldova’s pro-European president Paid Members Public
A week after Georgia held crunch parliamentary elections, another former Soviet republic with EU ambitions went to the polls, as Moldovans voted in a presidential contest. The situation in Moldova, which was recently granted EU candidate states, was the reverse of that in Georgia — pro-EU president Maia Sandu was looking
Putin puts on a BRICS spectacle Paid Members Public
Last week’s BRICS summit in Kazan was probably the most successful international event staged by Vladimir Putin since the start of the war. It was the largest diplomatic forum, with the most world leaders, since at least 2022. Despite the show that Putin managed to put on and the
Georgia’s ruling party wins key election, triggering opposition protests Paid Members Public
Moscow has followed Georgia’s parliamentary elections almost as closely as the upcoming US presidential contest. Oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili’s ruling “Georgian Dream” party has been pursuing increasingly pro-Russian policies since the start of the war in Ukraine, triggering a falling out with the West and accusations of democratic backsliding.
Russia proposes confiscating exiles’ property Paid Members Public
A bill that would allow authorities to seize property from Russians that have left the country has been introduced to Russia’s parliament. Although it had an unusual path to the floor of the Duma, it has every chance of being voted into law and could have been ordered by
Russia boosts army sign-up bonuses amid escalating frontline losses Paid Members Public
After the unpleasant experience with forcibly calling up army reservists in the 2022 “partial mobilization” drive, the Kremlin has since gone into overdrive to convince people to sign-up as contract soldiers for the invasion of Ukraine. The recruitment of “volunteers” (those who sign-up specifically to take part in the war
Russian opposition figure killed fighting for Ukraine Paid Members Public
Russian opposition activist Ildar Dadin was killed fighting for the Ukrainian army. Dadin achieved widespread notoriety after being convicted of unlawful behavior at rallies. After becoming disillusioned with non-violent protest, he joined the Ukrainian Army in 2023 to fight against Russia. * Dadin was the first Russian to be convicted under
‘Reputation whitewashing’ scandal rocks Russian opposition Paid Members Public
Yet another scandal is tearing the Russian opposition apart. This time, the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), set up by the late Alexei Navalny, is under fire. Maxim Katz, a former municipal deputy turned popular YouTuber, released an investigation that accuses the foundation of close ties with fugitive Russian bankers and alleged
