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Nicholas Castillo

Some Georgians Think Russia Just Annexed Part of Their Country

A new law allowing Russian officials to hold office in South Ossetia is sparking fears that Moscow is expanding control over the region.

Tatyana Rybakova

SPIEF 2026 Was A Tragicomic Encapsulation of Russia's Economic Quagmire

You couldn't ignore the thick black smoke that hung over proceedings — though people tried — rather like Russia's weakened economy.

How a Few Thousand Votes Could Have Stopped Putin’s Rise to Power

Putin may have stayed in St. Petersburg if the 1996 electoral defeat of his political mentor hadn't propelled him to pursue a career in Moscow.

Fr. Andrey Mizyuk

Why Is the Russian Orthodox Church Encouraging People To Volunteer in Occupied Ukraine?

Disguising contract military service as volunteering or paid work opportunities is not unheard of.

Japan Must Stop Its Embarrassing Embrace of Kremlin Cultural Projects

Tokyo may have condemned the invasion of Ukraine, but it remains naive about the political ramifications of the Festival of Russian Culture in Japan.

Maximilian Hess

Putin Dishes Out Economic Warfare – But Can't Take It

Ahead of Armenia's crucial election this weekend, Russia has banned a growing list of imports on spurious grounds. It's a familiar playbook.

Arkady Moshes and Ryhor Nizhnikau

Normalizing Relations With Belarus Would Be a Mistake

Some exiled critics of the Belarusian government have started to suggest that the West could use Lukashenko to change the system. They're wrong.

Reports of Russia's Collapse Are Greatly Exaggerated

A cottage industry of articles and even books predicting Russia's collapse has sprung from a lack of imagination and expertise.

Alexandra Borissova Saleh

The Kremlin Fears Academics Because They're Antithetical to Autocracy

Science cannot uncover the truth when constrained by ideology. It's a problem afflicting academics in Russia, but also the United States.

An Anonymous Writer in Russia

As the World Speculates, Here's What Russians Are Actually Talking About

While headlines fixate on Putin's popularity and support for the war, many Russians spend more time talking about travel and online shopping.

Central Asia Is Done With Letting Moscow Write Its History

Russia likes to believe that its colonization of Central Asia civilized and modernized the region. But local scholars no longer accept that narrative.

To Be Truly Democratic, Russia’s Opposition Must Learn to Accept Scrutiny

Journalists should not serve political movements. But Russia's opposition treats unflattering reporting as tantamount to Kremlin propaganda.

Tatyana Rybakova

Playing by the Rules Won't Protect Russian Business Owners From the Kremlin's Shakedown

With tax hikes having failed to make up for Russia's budget deficit, the authorities are targeting small businesses that are acting legitimately.

Nicholas Castillo

Russia Wants Armenia Back in the Fold. It May Be Too Late.

With Armenia going to the polls soon, the country's pro-Russian opposition is divided and behind the times as Yerevan courts the West.

Russia's Extraordinary Route to North Korea Shows the Limits of Moscow's Arctic Shipping Dreams

You only ship nuclear reactor components across your country via a circuitous route half way around the world if you have no other option.

Political Repression Is a Numbers Game in Russia

The Kremlin has no need to imprison millions. A steady stream of cases, amplified by the media, is enough to create an atmosphere of fear.

Zarema Gasanova

Regions Calling: Dagestan's Tourism Boom Is a Recipe for Colonialist Exploitation

Instead of opening new economic opportunities for Dagestan’s residents, the tourism boom is deepening the republic’s dependence on Moscow.

Kremlin Elites Have No Way to Remove Putin, Even if They Wanted To

Russia's elites owe their power and riches to Putin. Unless they see some way to maintain their privileges, none of them will move to unseat him.

Sergey Chernyshov

Should the Russian Diaspora Have Their Own Schools?

Russian schools typically outperform their European peers and ensure families share cultural touchstones. But diversity isn't celebrated for Russians.

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