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.”
Russia
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.
Inside the Brain of Vladimir Putin (Part II)
Vladimir Putin took his time to react to the December 10 anti-government protest. His nonchalance was supposed to calm his supporters and remind opponents of their own insignificance.
Inside the Brain of Vladimir Putin (Part I)
Vladimir Putin’s greatest fear is a people’s revolt that will depose his government. This phobia has its origin 22 years ago, when he was working for the KGB in communist East Germany.
Inside the Brain of Moscow’s Protest Movement
“All forces in society are here,” says Yevgeniya Chirikova. “We won’t go very far if we start asking who is who. We’re not fighting with Nazis now, but with swindlers and thieves.”
Anti-Putin Rally in Moscow: A Chronology
December 10, 2011, was a historic day for Russia. It’s too early to say whether the massive anti-government demonstration in Moscow marks the beginning of a people-power revolution. But the peaceful rally has set an important precedent.
