Moscow mayoral candidate Nikolai Levichev is breaking through the information blockade with the help of advice to kitchen gardeners and non-politically-correct word puzzles. We apologize for the language, but it seems that this is currently part of Russian political dialogue. – Ed. The words “yid” and “nigger” have been found in word puzzles in the […]
Kremlinology
“Totalizer”
Vladimir Pastukhov writes an essay for Novaya Gazeta, a liberal newspaper, on how Putin is not the driver of creeping totalitarianism, but Russia is pushing Putin down that path. It is worth noting that four Novaya Gazeta journalists have been assassinated in eight years. – Ed. Standing on the edge of the Russian abyss, they […]
Let Them Talk
After significant uncertainty as to whether there would be political debates between the candidates for Moscow’s mayor, or whether the previous mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, would even participate, the rules for the debates have been published. It should be noted that the article describes Sobyanin as the current mayor. Sobyanin, nearing the end of the term, […]
Who Released Navalny and Why?
Aleksandr Morozov is a political analyst, editor-in-chief of Russkiy Zhurnal, and director of the Center for Media Research of the Institute for History of Cultures who blogs at Live Journal. – Ed. How can the strange story of the jailing and release of Navalny be explained? And what was the logic of the events, if […]
One Head is Good: Dual Power in Yaroslavl After Mayor’s Arrest
After the arrest of opposition mayor Yevgeny Urlashov, diarchy reigned in Yaroslavl. Two of Urlashov’s deputies both consider themselves acting city boss now. Aleksandr Nechayev cites an official decree issued when the mayor was still free. Oleg Vinogradov believes that he should run the city, since Urlashov appointed him acting mayor after he was put in […]
Dmitry Medvedev is Strongly Opposed to Duma Dissolution
Today at a meeting with United Russia legislators, Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian Prime Minister, and the United Russia Chairman spoke against dissolution of the State Duma, stating that “it would present a danger for our state”. The Prime Minister believes that the upcoming elections set for September 8 will show “whether the Russian people” need […]
Viktor Zolotov Appointed Deputy Commander of Interior Forces
The chief of President Vladimir Putin’s security service will transfer in the coming days to a high post in the Interior Ministry. According to Izvestiya’s sources in the Kremlin, the head of state has already signed a decree appointing 59-year old Viktor Zolotov to the post of deputy commander-in-chief of the Interior Ministry’s internal troops. […]
Senator Ivanov Leaves the Council of the Federation
[Nikita Ivanov is a close associate of former Deputy Prime Minister Vladislav Surkov who was ousted from power in May. — Ed.] Nikita Ivanov will be replaced with an ethnic Ingush. Nikita Ivanov, a senator from Ingushetia will soon leave the Council of the Federation, according to a senior official of the regional administration. “Nikita […]
Switching Allegiance
The instruments that Yakemenko used to fight the opposition – drums and girls in bikini, a toilet bowl and sex to fight corruption – have been placed on a back burner. The pro-Kremlin youth swears allegiance to others. There are rumors that the Seliger thing is on its way out, and there is a rift […]
An All-Russian Corporation
[This article discusses the strategy behind the founding of the United Popular Front, a pro-Kremlin populist political movement headed by Vladimir Putin, and widely believed to have been established to distance Putin from the unpopular United Russia party—Ed.] The United Popular Front, a.k.a. the “United Front for Russia” (well, not for the USA, of course), […]