Institute of Modern Russia

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Media Must-Reads

Sechin’s Acceleration, the Karagodin Effect, and New Plan for Ukraine’s Crisis

November 26—December 2

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02 December 2016

In this week’s media highlights: Vladimir Pastukhov explains the ongoing struggle inside the Kremlin elite, in which Igor Sechin is currently winning; Sergei Medvedev writes about Russia’s culture of violence and the need to start a public conversation about the state terror of the past; Vladislav Inozemtsev offers a new plan for resolving the Ukraine crisis; Vladimir Dvorkin suggests that the leaders of Russia and the United States should move forward with arms control agreements; and Novaya Gazeta examines the state of the representative offices in Russia’s regions.

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Law

The Case of Ildar Dadin: Restoration of Bolshevik-Style Law?

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29 November 2016

Ekaterina Mishina

The case of Ildar Dadin, the first Russian citizen convicted under Article 212.1 of the Russian Criminal Code for repeated violations of the established rules of holding mass events, has been recently attracting widespread attention of the media and human rights activists. In a letter sent to his wife, Ildar Dadin revealed that since his arrival at the prison colony in Segezha he has been subjected to beatings and torture at the hands of prison staff. IMR legal expert Ekaterina Mishina analyzes Ildar Dadin’s case and notes that it will eventually become one of the most striking textbook examples of the restoration of Bolshevik-style criminal law in post-Soviet Russia.

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Event Briefings

Transatlantic Forum on Russia: How the West Needs to Address the “Russia Challenge”

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23 November 2016

Daniel Frey

On November 17, 2016, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in partnership with the Centre for Polish-Russian Dialogue and Understanding, held the fourth joint Transatlantic Forum on Russia. The forum brought together numerous U.S. and European experts and top officials who discussed the possibilities of a common approach to the resurgent Kremlin, including policy options for the next U.S. administration.

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Media Must-Reads

What Awaits Russian Society, the Anti-corruption Road Roller, and Interview with Vladimir Voinovich

November 19-23

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23 November 2016

In this week’s roundup Republic reports from the Forum of Civil Initiatives, a get-together of Russia’s prominent experts; Transparency International’s Ilya Shumanov discusses the unraveling of the anti-corruption campaign; international lawyer Vladimir Zhbanenkov explains the context of Russia’s withdrawal from ICC; and Novaya Gazeta speaks to writer Vladimir Voinovich on Russian politics, the protest movement, and the perspectives of revolutionary change.

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Event Briefings

The Kremlin’s Trojan Horses

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22 November 2016

Daniel Frey

On November 15, 2016, the Atlantic Council launched a report titled “The Kremlin’s Trojan Horses: Russian Influence in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom” and held a panel discussion on the ultra-right forces in the West with a number of prominent experts, including Marlene Laruelle, Mitchell Orenstein, Péter Krekó, Andreas Umland, as well as Neil Barnett and Josh Rogin. Atlantic Council’s Alina Polyakova moderated the discussion.

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Media Must-Reads

The Ulyukayev Affair, Russia’s Budget Plans, and Potential Trump-Putin Deals

November 12-18

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18 November 2016

In this week’s Russian media roundup: Andrei Pertsev suggests that Aleksei Ulyukayev’s arrest may be a sign of a dangerous rift inside the Kremlin; Vladimir Milov argues that the whole Ulyukauev affair is Igor Sechin’s revenge; Vedomosti’s editorial notes that fighting corruption in Russia is just a show; Andrei Movchan analyzes Russia’s budget plan for 2017-2019 and makes insightful observations; and Vladimir Frolov discusses the deals that Putin and Donald Trump may attempt to strike.

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Economics

Sergey Aleksashenko: “I’d Like to Believe the Worst Is Over for the Russian People”

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18 November 2016

Sergey Aleksashenko

In his latest commentary about recent events in the Russian economy, Sergey Aleksashenko, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, analyzes the recent data on the Russian economy and notes that despite the general decline, the basic industries and defense sector are, in fact, showing positive dynamics. At the same time, the government supported the Finance Ministry’s proposal to freeze budget expenditures for the next 18 years, a move that will essentially scrap all the budget policies implemented by President Putin in the past.

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Book Reviews

What the West Can Do About Putin’s Master Plan

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17 November 2016

Nathan Andrews

What is Putin thinking? What will his next move be? What is his ultimate goal? These are just just a fraction of the questions about Vladimir Putin’s Russia that have been occupying the minds of the Western officials, pundits, journalists, and numerous Russia observers. A new book titled Putin’s Master Plan provides a possible range of answers and policy recommendations on how to tackle the resurgent Russia. IMR contributing author Nathan Andrews discusses the book, noting, however, that the authors do not provide a holistic view of the issue, as their vision mainly reflects the approach typical of some factions inside the U.S. political system.

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Media Must-Reads

A Chance for U.S.-Russia Rapprochement, Russia’s Political Narcissism, and the “Multinational People” vs. the “Russian Nation”

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11 November 2016

In this week’s Russian media roundup: Dmitry Trenin details the issues that President-Elect Donald Trump can discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin; Andrei Pertsev delves into the potentially dangerous outcomes of the Kremlin propaganda; Alexander Rubtsov dissects Russia’s political narcissism; Konstantin Gaaze looks into the juxtaposition of the concepts of the “multinational people” and the “Russian nation;” and Nikolay Petrov explains the recent reshuffling inside the Kremlin.

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Research Recaps

Minchenko Consulting Group: Politburo 2.0: Dismantling or Reset?

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11 November 2016

In its latest report on the situation inside the Russian elites, Minchenko Consulting Group details the recent elite reshuffling and gives an assessment of the change in influence and hierarchy standings of individual elite members. IMR summarized the main findings of the report below.