How the Kremlin tries to explain the coronavirus crisis to its people.

The 50-year-old arms control regime that helped keep the Cold War cold is beyond repair. It's time to start discussing ways of moving toward a new global...

When the command нельзя means don't, and when it means something else entirely.

Putin is clearly eager to avoid being identified with the pandemic and the difficult measures being adopted to fight it.

Russian physicians are quitting en masse while receiving only empty sympathy from state media.

Today some shout “We can do it again!” But in those days the motto was “Never again.” A new war was unthinkable.

A very silly update on the language of our new normal in Russia.

Five practical steps in the post-Soviet space could improve healthcare and effective governance. 

Vladimir Putin has become increasingly disengaged from routine matters of governing and prefers to delegate most issues.

The authorities pretend that they are leading, while the people try to pretend that they are following orders.

Russian citizens instinctively expect their leaders to lie to them during crises but the authorities now seem intent on proving that they are not hiding...

We start today with a pop quiz about a curious word. Tune in.

Why I find it hard to take the story at face value.

Putin’s confidence ratings not only failed to climb during the pandemic as they did for European leaders, but they actually began a gradual decline.
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Russia’s top priority should be to carefully maintain equilibrium— though not equidistance — between the United States and China.

Many find it hard to care that the authorities are strangling Vedomosti.

You can take the Bible out of society, but you can't take it out of the Russian language.

These are good starting points for thinking about what is probably going to be a perfect storm.