Boris Nemtsov has occupied many roles in post-Soviet Russia, both in government and in the parallel polis that is oppositional politics. He was first elected governor of Nizhny Novgorod, whose successful economic reforms in that region carved a political pathway that would ultimately take him into the deputy premiership under the Yeltsin government. Nemtsov has […]
The Kremlin is planning to set up its own publishing company with a conservative-leaning news angle, Kommersant has reported, citing Dmitry Badovsky, Director of the Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Studies Foundation (ISEPI), and formerly Deputy Chief of the Internal Policy Department in the President’s Administration. The founder of the new entity will be ISEPI. […]
In the run-up to the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland (17-18 June) and the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (20-22 June), Vladimir Putin gave a long and rather dull interview to RIA Novosti on Russia’s priorities in foreign economic policy. Slon.ru has selected the most significant themes: What can be expected from these G8 and […]
[This article in The New Times argues that Vladimir Putin’s political control is eroding inexorably as a result of corruption from above and increasingly poor economic performance—Ed.] A year and a month after the third coming of Vladimir Putin, who in fact never left, it is becoming obvious that he will not fulfill the main demand of […]
[On June 12, the national “Day of Russia,” Russia’s opposition organized their “March Against Butchers,” with an estimated turnout of between 6,000-30,000. This article describes the events of the day—Ed.] According to the Interior Ministry Main Department of the City of Moscow, no serious violations of public order were registered during the march of June […]
Mikhail Prokhorov, leader of the Civic Platform, announced today that he will not run in the elections for mayor of Moscow, and no one from his party will take part in them. “We will not take part in the extension of the acting government’s license. We will act according to the rule ‘the mayor is […]
On Tuesday, June 11, the Russian State Duma passed a draft law in the second and third reading banning propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors, Parliament TV reports. The law was passed in the third reading by 436 votes in favor. Compared to the original version of the draft law, the term “homosexualism” was […]
The Russian government has approved and submitted a draft law to the State Duma under which the conducting of religious rituals, ceremonies, prayers and religious meetings in public spaces will require the permission of local authorities. Dmitry Medvedev proposed equating such activities with rallies and processions, although rituals can be conducted inside churches, mosques and […]
[This article analyses United Russia’s political manoeuvres in relation to the Moscow mayoral race, scheduled for September 8, 2013 following the early resignation of Mayor Sergei Sobyanin—Ed.] United Russia Duma Deputy Irina Yarovaya has said that Prokhorov cannot run for Moscow Mayor’s office, even if he transfers his foreign assets to a trust. In her […]
[In this article, Yulia Latynina argues that arrest last week of the powerful Mayor of Makhachkala, Said Amirov, has signaled the FSB’s assertion of direct control in the republic of Dagestan. Latynina speculates that this is partly motivated by the desire to stem the growing power of salafists in the region.—Ed.] In a Hollywood movie-type, […]
