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Opinion

opinion
Sergey Radchenko

Putin’s Changes Might Set Russia on the Right Path

Political centralization has historically served as a major impediment to Russia’s democratization.
Michele A. Berdy

50 Ways to Leave Your Government

The resignation of the Russian government produced a great crop of humor.
Ilya Klishin

Russians Have Little Say in Their Future

Putin’s revamp underlines the extent to which the status quo rules.
Alexey Eremenko

How Will Putin’s Reforms Pan Out for Russian Business?

By addressing the “2024 problem” early Putin has given the investment community some breathing room.
Andrei Kolesnikov

Planning for a (Not So) Post-Putin Russia

The president has made it clear that no one is going anywhere.
Leonid Bershidsky

Russia’s New Prime Minister Is a Bureaucratic Superman

Mishustin is a new kind of Russian prime minister suited to Putin’s evolving political goals.
Lincoln Pigman

Putin's Late New Year’s Gift for Russia’s Elites

Putin has diffused political power enough that elites should feel reassured they will wield influence after 2024.
Leonid Bershidsky

Putin's New Plan to Hold Power Forever

Russia’s real constitution is in Putin’s head. That’s where the missing details will come from, too.
Michael Kofman

Beyond the Hype of Russia’s Hypersonic Weapons

The much-touted Avangard system became operational at the end of last year.
Christo Grozev

Iran Admitted to Shooting Down Ukraine's Airliner. Why Hasn't Russia Done the Same With MH17?

Without owning up to its mistake, Russia will forever be remembered as the country that just kept lying.
Michele A. Berdy

The Key Words of 2019

What were the words of the year for 2019? And am I Cassandra?
Leonid Bershidsky

Putin’s Latest Obsession: A New World War II Narrative

Russia’s global power is still based on some important spoils of World War II. 
Dmitriy Frolovskiy

Russia’s Role in Syria is Changing

Moscow might face difficulties in promoting its vision of a political settlement, while competition with Tehran is growing.
Marianna Belenkaya

The Iran Crisis Can Be a Boost for Russia

If Syria becomes the setting for a clash between Washington and Tehran, it could be a major problem for Moscow.
Leonid Bershidsky for Bloomberg

Putin Now Needs a Plan B on Iran

Qassem Soleimani’s death may force a change in the Russian calculus involving Syria, Iran and Turkey.
Mark Galeotti

Putin Can Cautiously Enjoy the Iran Drama From the Audience

Tehran and Moscow have certain interests in common, especially in minimizing U.S. influence in the Middle East, but they are at best frenemies.
Maria Zheleznova and Vladimir Ruvinsky

Russians Are Tired of Stability

The lack of clear economic progress contributed to mounting discontent in 2019.
Sergey Guriyev

The Future of Putin’s Information Autocracy

The Kremlin will be forced to dedicate a growing share of resources to silencing the informed.
Mark Galeotti

Russia in 2020. Like 2019, But More So

Putin and his entourage seem to think "better safe than sorry."
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