strengths and weaknesses of the Putin regime
“Russia is never as strong as she looks, nor as weak as she looks.” This old adage underscores the Russian state’s ambiguous and opaque nature. A conflicting combination of strengths and weaknesses makes Russia difficult to comprehend not only in the West, but also within the country. The difficulties of “reading” Russia are not a new problem for the West, but its relevance today has grown due to Russia’s integration into the global economy, the emerging crises in the developed democracies, and the Russian leadership’s drive to gain geopolitical influence.
What is to be done?
To answer this question, the Institute of Modern Russia has launched a new research dedicated to examining the strengths and weaknesses of the Putin regime and identifying myths and misconceptions about Russia in the Western public discourse. By unearthing the root contradictions, we hope to develop practical recommendations for Western policymakers, experts, and Russia observers at large. The first report in the series focuses on the Kremlin’s information strategies to promote the Sputnik V vaccine.
