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Moscow's De-Dollarization Dreams Meet Pragmatic Reality

A leaked memo suggests Moscow may rejoin the dollar settlement system despite years of trying to go its own way.

Vladislav Inozemtsev

The Ukraine War Has Tied Russia's Elites Closer to the Kremlin

With fewer options for stashing their money abroad, Russia's elites are increasingly reliant on Moscow.

Sasha Skochilenko

What I Learned Speaking Face to Face with a Fellow Political Prisoner and Artist

I wanted to find out where Pavel Krisevich found his creative energy, especially in prison. I expected anger, but found love.

Resisting the Kremlin's Communication Crackdown Requires New Thinking

Russia's opposition is falling back on performative tactics that have failed repeatedly. We need to take a new approach.

Benjamin Shultz and Ksenia Vakhruseva

We Need to Talk About Russia’s Arctic Information Offensive

Russian disinformation narratives about its much-vaunted Northern Sea Route are far from the reality. That's what makes them dangerous.

The U.S. and Russian Militaries Are Talking Again. Will it Make a Difference?

Having taken part in such discussions over 30 years, I predict they will not be as helpful as we hope. But will be better than not talking.

Putin Is Battling Inflation – But Sacrificing Russia’s Economy

Some economists think the Kremlin's obsession with reducing inflation is an ideological decision that harms the war effort.

Nuclear Arms Control Was Eroding Long Before New START's Expiration

Russia is not the only country that's undermined attempts to limit nuclear proliferation. Now, those restraints are even weaker.

Elena Davlikanova

The Failed Energy Truce Shows Why a Quick Peace in Ukraine Would Not Last

Ukrainians want peace more than anyone. But even as they freeze in their apartments, they know rushing would delay another war.

Tatyana Rybakova

Moscow's Domodedovo Airport Dispute Epitomizes Russian Capitalism

From the lawless 1990s to the Kremlin's paranoia over foreign ownership, the dispute shows why Russia struggles with capitalism.

Vitaly Servetnik

Russia’s Extreme Winter Storms Are a Climate Wake-Up Call the Kremlin Is Ignoring

The Kremlin once suggested climate change could bring Russia advantages. But the chaos from recent storms tells a very different story.

Don't Forget the Many Ways Russia Tried to Justify Invading Ukraine

Moscow thinks it has found a strong argument for ending the war on its terms. But it's just one of many excuses for the invasion.

Harassment Is a Daily Reality for Foreign Diplomats in Moscow

Protests outside the Foreign Ministry are tip of the iceberg of an escalating campaign of intimidation against diplomats.

Freeing the Historian Yury Dmitriyev Is a Matter of Life and Death

The seriously unwell historian who preserved the memory of victims of the Great Terror has languished in prison for over nine years.

Anna Narinskaya

Cheburashka Could Never Be a Symbol of War. He Is an Outsider, Like Me.

Cheburashka's story parallels the experiences of Soviet Jews — never fully fitting in. It's no wonder that Russian conservatives can't stand the creature...

Dismissing Russian Agents as ‘Disposable’ Misses How Espionage Works

History shows Russia gives recruits small tasks at the beginning in the hope of developing more capable agents in the future.

Tatyana Rybakova

Why Russian Businesses Are Begging for State Intervention

New research shows that Russian entrepreneurs want the same kinds of state controls they once rejected.

Kyiv’s Allies Must Flex Their Military Muscles Against Russia’s Shadow Fleet

Britain says it will take "assertive action" against Russia's shadow fleet. Now London and its allies should put its money where its mouth is.

Sarkis Darbinyan

Why Russia Can’t Quite Let Go of WhatsApp

The Kremlin's efforts to make Russians switch from WhatsApp and Telegram to the state-backed Max have had little impact on Russians' behavior.

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