NATO and the EU raised membership expectations without ever intending to follow through. As a result, Ukraine became vulnerable to Russian revanchism.
Putin
The Legacy of a True Russian Patriot
Even though Alexei Navalny’s death was foretold so often, it is hard to grasp the magnitude of this loss for Russia.
Prigozhin’s Mutiny Is the Beginning of Putin’s End
Nobody in Russia understands what the war in Ukraine is about. And after Prigozhin’s rebellion, nobody knows if that war might not still come to Russia.
Putin’s War on Young People
If Russia is ever to become a country that seeks peace with its neighbors, then such a future depends on its young people.
The Other Jan. 6
“We still have no answers to millions of questions,” said Vyacheslav Abramov. “It’s important for the future of the country to understand what happened.”
A Russian Dissident Is Sentenced in Moscow
Ilya Yashin’s evolution from protest leader to persecuted dissident mirrors the metamorphosis of Putin’s “managed democracy” into a totalitarian state.
Russian Exiles Struggle to Form a United Opposition to Putin
“We aren’t waiting for the fall of the regime,” said Lyubov Sobol. “We’re actively working toward it and want to get there as fast as possible.”
Why Isn’t Russia a Democracy?
Russia was not preordained to despotism nor to a clash with the West. So how did things go so wrong?
Why the World Should Be Worried About Chechnya
“The disintegration of Russia is inevitable,” said Zarina Sautieva. “If chaos breaks out in the Kremlin, Kadyrov will be the first to declare independence.”
Putin Should Pay One More Visit to Kiev
Everyone I’ve talked to resents Putin’s two visits to campaign for Yanukovych but goes to great lengths to explain how warm their feelings for Russia are.