Nobody I meet in Grozny believes that Islamist insurgents killed Akhmad Kadyrov, the first Kremlin-backed president of Chechnya. Here it’s taken for granted that Russian security agencies were behind the assassination.
Putin
Self-Censored Blog Post
I meet with a Chechen who asks me just to call him “a public figure.” I’m going to censor myself by redacting any other identifying clues. Even if the fighting is over, fear still inhabits the neat and tidy streets of Grozny.
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.
Chechnya or Bust
We arrive in Argun, on the outskirts of Grozny. Days after the Russian assault, Tagir Gadzhiyev escorted English and American journalists along the same highway. They had to turn around here because of an air raid.
What Obama Doesn’t Get about Russia
The Obama administration is being either naive or delusional in its belief that Russia will ever pull in the same direction over Syria. Putin will back al-Assad to the bitter end.
Dear Ramzan Kadyrov
How do you get an interview with the warlord of Chechnya? The best bet for catching Ramzan Kadyrov is just to show up on his own turf, announce your presence and hope for the best.
How Russia Fears Being Forgotten
Putin needs the U.S. as an enemy, because it builds him up as a brave leader and allows him to crack down on internal dissent. The regimes in Iran, Venezuela or North Korea are no different in their dependence on U.S. censure – the harsher, the better.
Time Is Catching Up with Putin
Vladimir Putin’s biggest enemy isn’t his opposition, but the simple passage of time.
Behind the Scenes of a Protest Blog
I’ll make a confession: the anti-government rallies that broke out in Moscow a year ago really annoyed me. Like Vladimir Putin, I had completely different plans than to worry about protesting middle-class Muscovites.
Partying from Dushanbe to Grozny
When Tajik President Emomali Rahmon turned 60, Vladimir Putin gave him a sniper rifle and promised to keep Russian troops stationed in Tajikistan until his 90th birthday.
