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Articles by Felix Light

Wave of unrest

Protests for Jailed Kremlin Critic Navalny Sweep Russia

Police clash with demonstrators in major cities and detain thousands.
NEWS ANALYSIS

‘A Step Into the Unknown’: Russians’ Relationship With Jailed Navalny Is Complicated

As the opposition activist calls for protests, polls show his support is small but growing.
WANING TOLERANCE

Could Navalny’s Detention Derail His Movement?

Some analysts believe the opposition figure’s arrest could lead to a broader crackdown on his supporters.
FRAUGHT RETURN

Russia Detains Poisoned Kremlin Critic Navalny on Return to Home Soil

The opposition leader has spent months in Germany recovering from an attack with a poison Western experts concluded was Novichok.
NOT JUST A PLACEHOLDER

A Year After Shock Appointment, Russian Prime Minister Mishustin’s Star is Rising

Some experts are predicting that the well-connected technocrat might be destined for a long career at the summit of Russian politics.
SUDDEN DEPARTURE

Resignation of Yakutsk’s First Female Mayor Raises Questions About Russia’s Ruling Party

Some experts believe Sardana Avksentiyeva was forced out by a Kremlin keen to clear the field ahead of Duma elections.
“WAGING WAR”

The Kremlin Tightens the Screws on Public Dissent

Russia has cemented sweeping new restrictions on political protests, social media and “foreign agents.”
2021 LOOK AHEAD

Russia in 2021: Looming Elections Dominate the Domestic Scene

The vote to elect deputies for Russia’s lower house of parliament, the Duma, must be held by September.
2021 LOOK AHEAD

Russia in 2021: As Climate Crisis Rages, Scientists Fear the Worst Is Yet to Come

The world’s largest country faces an accelerating emergency as warming weather sparks more environmental disasters.
POLITICAL PROFILE

A Feminist Pro-Kremlin Lawmaker Who Supports LGBT Rights

Oksana Pushkina tells The Moscow Times her views aren’t oppositional — they’re just common sense.
‘NOT A BELIEVER’

Vaccine Fears Slow Moscow’s Sputnik V Rollout

Initial numbers indicate that as few as 14 people per clinic per day are receiving the vaccine.
LACK OF TRUST

As Russia Begins Mass Coronavirus Vaccination, Its Medics Aren't On Board

Skepticism among the medical community will make a nationwide Sputnik V push difficult.
'DARK FORCES'

QAnon Gains Traction in Russia

The coronavirus pandemic has boosted the popularity of the pro-Trump viral conspiracy theory.
IVANOVO DISPATCH

In a Poor Russian City, Coronavirus Hits Hard

The pandemic has combined with poverty to push Ivanovo’s healthcare system to its breaking point.
geopolitical crossroads

5 Things You Need to Know About Moldova’s Presidential Elections

Former prime minister Maia Sandu's unexpected victory could push the ex-Soviet eastern European nation further away from Moscow’s orbit.
CONSPIRACY UPON CONSPIRACY

Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories Flourish in Russia’s Republic of North Ossetia

The fringe Soviet Citizens movement has co-opted the pandemic for its agenda.
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

Coronavirus Hits Hard in Russia’s Volatile Republic of Ingushetia

Poverty and political unrest are making a bad situation worse in the tiny North Caucasian region.
TRACKING CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus Outbreak Is Major Test for Russia’s Facial Recognition Network

Russia wants to follow China’s example in combating the virus with technology, but its systems are embryonic.
Watching you

Russia Is Building One of the World’s Largest Facial Recognition Networks

According to some projections, it may even be bigger than China’s 200 million camera system.