Russian liberals may find their government’s embrace of Assad disgraceful, but they know better than to bring up Syria, or any other Arab revolution for that matter.
lucian in moscow
Everyone was taken by surprise by the anti-government protests that broke out after Russia’s disputed parliamentary elections in December 2011. After watching the number of attendees increase by the hundreds every time I refreshed the Facebook page dedicated to the first organized rally, I jumped on the next plane to Moscow. My blog chronicling Russia’s protest movement was born.
A Hot Winter’s Day in Moscow
Biting cold and visible cracks in the motley protest movement dampened expectations. But the massive turnout gave the demonstrators new momentum in the run-up to the presidential election.
Putin vs. Putin
Vladimir Putin is campaigning in a large part against himself – with all the contradictions and pitfalls that entails.
Putin vs. Russia’s New Nationalists
Vladimir Putin isn’t a man who usually acknowledges his mistakes, but on Monday he confessed that his government had failed to propagate tolerance and understanding among Russia’s more than 100 ethnic groups.
Putin’s Loneliness
If Vladimir Putin has one central message, it could be boiled down to one sentence: “I saved Russia, but I’m not quite finished yet.”
The Putin Paradox
The Putin Paradox holds that the former KGB agent is the best leader Russia could hope for in the transition from communism to democracy.
A Russian Fairy Tale for Christmas
This Christmas, Russians stopped fearing their government. In a collective suspension of disbelief, ordinary citizens watched cultural figures, civic activists and even a former finance minister attack the political edifice that Vladimir Putin spent 12 years building.
Perestroika’s Children Come of Age
The iPhone, the ultimate consumer attribute of an open society, clashed with Vladimir Putin’s closed political system. It was the contradiction between free global citizen and disenfranchised Russian subject that drove young Muscovites to take to the street.
Putin’s Internet Nemesis Leaves Virtual Reality
Alexei Navalny, the anti-corruption blogger jailed two weeks ago, was released in the dead of night. His detention has turned the 35-year-old lawyer into the indisputable hero of the Moscow protest movement – and the greatest hope for opponents of Vladimir Putin.
Mr. Putin, Tear Down This Wall of Apathy!
Cynicism is what Russians expect from their leaders; apathy is all that politicians want in return.
