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Articles by Nikolai Epple

Crackdown on Gays in Chechnya: A Vicious Circle of Law and Disorder

The situation in Chechnya is horrible, but consistent with a region that maintains ancient customs and hermetically seals itself off from the outside world...
opinion Pavel Aptekar and Nikolai Epple

Kremlin’s Reply to Anti-Corruption Demonstrations: We Can Deal With It Ourselves

The Kremlin’s answer to accusations of corruption are as follows: Russian civil servants’ income reports are transparent for the Secret Service and...
opinion Nikolai Epple

Slower Internet for Google

The Kremlin may punish foreign Internet giants, but Russian users will foot the bill.
opinion Nikolai Epple

The Hague Effect: Russia to Face Charges of Terrorism in Ukraine

Public discussion of the Ukrainian lawsuit in the International Court of Justice might prove a very effective PR campaign in the promotion of Kiev’s...
opinion Nikolai Epple

Recognizing a Problem

Russia now recognizes documents issued by breakaway republics in eastern Ukraine. But has it weighed the consequences?

Non-Combat Losses in Russia's Ill-Defined War

The victims of the crash of the Tu-154 airplane near Sochi were peaceful people – performers, journalists, and even the renowned doctor. They are casualties...

What Visa-Free Entry to the EU Means for Ukraine and Georgia

Georgian and Ukrainian citizens may gain visa-free entry to the European Union. There will still be many limits and restrictions, but the main significance...
opinion Nikolai Epple

Russia Must Help MH17 Investigation

Dutch Safety Board chairman Tjibbe Joustra on Tuesday presented the final conclusions of the report devoted to the downing of Flight MH17 over eastern...
opinion Nikolai Epple

Who Benefits From Russia's Bankruptcy Law?

Russia's highly anticipated law on personal bankruptcy came into force on Oct. 1. The bill had been under discussion since 2008.



opinion Nikolai Epple

Eat, Drink, Be Merry: Russia's Spending Habits

The consumption habits of Russians share some striking parallels with those in developing countries.
opinion Nikolai Epple

Cheap Labor Won't Lure Investors to Russia

The sharp devaluation of the ruble and the resultant drop in the cost of labor is unlikely to make Russia more attractive to investors.
opinion Nikolai Epple

Will Russia Block Facebook?

Roskomnadzor, Russia's communications watchdog, finds itself in a very strange situation for the second time.
opinion Nikolai Epple

Are Russia and NATO Preparing for War?

Russian and NATO military exercises are starting to look more and more like preparations for war. The only ray of hope is that the brandishing of weapons...
opinion Nikolai Epple

Russia's War on Food May Be Step Too Far

Russian authorities are carrying out this destruction of food as if it was a completely ordinary police measure. But this is no ordinary measure.
opinion Nikolai Epple

Moscow's Showcase Democracy Is a Sham

The Russian authorities are attempting to turn Moscow into a showcase of urban development and democracy. They inquire after Muscovites' preferences...
opinion Nikolai Epple

Russian Health Care Is Dying a Slow Death

Russia is attempting to reform its health care system, but these reforms are doing serious damage and Putin seems oblivious to the reality of the situation...