Russian media outlets are reporting that Edward Snowden, the former Booz Allen Hamilton contractor and National Security Agency employee, is spending his third day in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Moskovsky Komsomolets says Snowden is likely staying in a Japanese “capsule” hotel without windows to ensure privacy, and likens him to a legendary Indian who was said […]
The Bell
A response to Peter Pomerantsev’s exploration of the Kremlin’s weaknesses
A recent article by Peter Pomerantsev offers complex and essential insights for anyone who seeks to understand how support for the Putin regime was orchestrated. Pomerantsev, who worked as a producer at television network TNT, describes how the Putin regime is undergirded by political technologists who manipulate all forms of public discourse— from television to […]
Interview: Edward Lucas on the Implications of Edward Snowden’s Stay in Moscow
As the saga of fugitive Edward Snowden continues, reports that he has sought refuge in Moscow have caused many to warn of consequences for US-Russian relations. The Interpreter asked Russia expert and author of Deception: Spies, Lies and How Russia Dupes the West, Edward Lucas, for his take on the situation. The Interpreter: What is […]
Rebels, Rosneft and Snowden
Here’s a quick summary of the day’s biggest news: -The back and forth, tit-for-tat verbal recriminations continue between Russia and, well, the rest of the world. Russia continues to supply “legal” arms to the Assad regime, while accusing the rest of the world of undermining a potential “political solution” when they support the Syrian rebels. […]
G7+1, LGBT rights, Gazprom and E-mail Tricksters
Here’s a quick recap of some of today’s biggest news: – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper labeled the G8 summit as the “G7+1” in reference to Putin’s isolated stance on Syria. As The Moscow News reports, when asked if he felt “lonely” during the summit he replied, “Of course not. That’s absolutely not true. Somebody, apparently, […]
Syria, Adoptions and Navalny
Here’s a quick summary of some of today’s biggest news headlines: -It seems that the continued haggling over the conditions for a peace summit have become one of Russia’s best tools to support the Assad regime. Reuters reports that Russian Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is quoted as saying: “We categorically oppose … affirmations that the […]
Wednesday’s Protests: An Embattled Opposition and Easy Scapegoats
An estimated 10,000 people participated in a protest held in Moscow’s Bolotnaya Square yesterday, according to a report by The Moscow Times. This reduced figure testified to the effects of the repressive legislation introduced since the beginning of the large-scale protests against electoral fraud in December 2011—a movement which, at its height, attracted crowds of […]
Protests, Whistleblowers, Political Parties and Blasphemy Laws
Here’s a list of some of today’s top news stories: -Moscow saw a large opposition rally in support of the arrested protestors who are set to go on trial from last year’s “Bolotnaya” protests. Estimates of the crowd’s size vary depending on sources, ranging from 6,000 to 30,000. The protest also saw the attendance of […]
The All-Russia People’s Front: The New United Russia or a Kremlin Satellite Party?
On June 11-12, the All-Russia People’s Front (Общероссийский народный фронт, known by its Russian acronym ONF) will hold its founding congress in Moscow. The movement was established in 2011 by Putin and appeared to be designed to shore up support for United Russia in the 2011-2012 electoral cycle. Revived in March 2013, its current goal […]
Radiation Poisoning, Elections and Corruption
Here’s a quick summary of today’s biggest news: -The intrigue surrounding former KGB official Alexander Litvinenko’s 2006 assassination by radiation poisoning continues with the coroner overseeing the investigation into Litvinenko’s murder calling for a public inquiry. The coroner is calling for a public inquiry in response to British Foreign Secretary William Hague demanding that the […]