If Alexei Navalny was one of many opposition figures during the winter of 2011-2012, Sunday’s protests have established him as today’s undisputed leader.
Navalny
Vladimir Putin Picks Turkey Over US as the Enemy in Annual Q&A
In a world of fake news and imitation politics, nobody knows what Russians really think of Putin — or how deep their loyalty lies.
Vladimir Putin Targets Turkey First, Terror Second in State-of-Russia Speech
Putin’s speech was an exercise in self-hypnosis by an autocracy incapable of rejuvenating itself.
Navalny Is a Thorn in Putin’s Side, But Silencing Him Won’t Be Easy
Navalny’s biggest challenge now is to prove that he’s a national leader who can speak to Russians beyond the cities with a substantial middle class.
Winning by Losing
“I’m trying to understand: is this a demonstration of victory or defeat?” Alexei Navalny asked. The crowd gave him a resounding answer. In recent years, the words “Russian opposition leader” connoted “loser.” No longer.
Take Me to Your Leader
Ilya Yashin, who has spent his entire adult life in politics, is one of the Moscow protest movement’s most experienced leaders. Tomorrow he turns 29.
Interview with a Bucket
Pyotr Shkumatov’s street antics have stumped traffic policemen and made the rest of Moscow laugh. “This isn’t about the middle class,” he says. “It’s generational.”
The Politics of Fear
Politics is human speech. Fear is an animal instinct. In Moscow, fear is taking the place of politics.
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.
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.
