In October, for the first time after an eight-year ‘break’, gubernatorial elections were held in Russia. The revival of gubernatorial elections by no means implies a revival of competition at the regional level – existing legislation ensures that this should not be allowed. At the same...

The beginning of the autumn was marked by an onset of fundamental conflicts in the ranks of the new Russian government and by some fresh signs of political reaction fomented in the State Duma by United Russia deputies. President Putin publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the federal...

The major political events of November were: the dismissal of Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdiukov; the investigation launched against his close associates in the top echelons of the RF Ministry of Defense; and a number of sensational denouncements of corruption by the VIPs – including former...

Socio-political Background: Struggling to Initiate Combat against Corruption The socio-political situation in February was shaped by the escalating conflicts within this country’s elite. The State Duma was shaken by scandals that resulted from the exposure of the ownership, by cer¬tain...

The socio-political background of April 2013 was determined by the ongoing attacks on the government launched by the RF President and the law enforcement agencies; by the continuing debate around the issue of how to find the most effective way of stimulating economic growth; and by the...

When estimating the slight improvement of the Russian economy’s indicators displayed early this autumn, it should be borne in mind that in the autumn of 2012 the economy had already entered the phase of steep slowdown

The most noteworthy events of December 2012 were the adoption, by the U.S. Congress, of the so-called ‘Magnitsky Law,’ whereby sanctions were introduced against the Russian officials directly involved in human rights violations; and the passing, by the RF State Duma, of a retaliatory...

In October, for the first time after an eight-year ‘break’, gubernatorial elections were held in Russia. The revival of gubernatorial elections by no means implies a revival of competition at the regional level – existing legislation ensures that this should not be allowed. At the same...

A few words about the socio-political background that triggered some of the key economic events of December 2013. The most important political event of the month was the unexpected release from jail of former oil tycoon Michail Khodorkovsky who had spent 10 years and 2 months behind bars. As...

Russia’s political background in May was determined by the mounting tension in the top echelons of the political bureaucracy. The sacking of Deputy Prime Minister Vladislav Surkov – one of the authors of the soft authoritarianism of the 2000s – was a manifestation of yet another personnel...