Support The Moscow Times!
Contribute today

Articles by Pavel Aptekar

opinion Pavel Aptekar

Superstitious Minds: Why the Russian Elite Fears a Rebellious Shaman

The potential charging of a shaman for extremism may seem like a joke, but this is completely logical for a country where even the upper ranks take occult...
opinion Pavel Aptekar

From Poaching to Politics: Tensions Grow Between Russia and North Korea

Moscow’s sharp reaction to the armed conflict with North Korean fishermen reflects its deeper frustration with a wide range of Pyongyang’s policies...
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Kremlin’s Violent Response to Protests in Moscow Is A Dangerous Game

The authorities have moved from compromise to crackdown.
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Can an Ambassador's Sacking Save Russia-Belarus Relations?

On April 30, Vladimir Putin relieved Russian ambassador to Belarus Mikhail Babich of his duties and replaced him with Dmitry Mezentsev, a former senator...

The Russian Youth Are Packing Their Bags

The fact that young people are willing to leave should cause alarm considering that they are the most active and innovative members of society.
opinion Pavel Aptekar

How Russia’s Place in the World Has Changed in the Eyes of Its Citizens

The more critical perception of Russia’s place in the world reflects a general decline in Russian national sentiment.
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Why Oleg Sentsov’s Hunger Strike Ended (Op-ed)

The end of the Ukrainian filmmaker's hunger strike illustrates the state’s extreme callousness.
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Russia’s Economy Is Falling Woefully Behind (Op-Ed)

Government policy in recent years has created an economy increasingly out of step with global trends.
opinion Pavel Aptekar

When Art Becomes the Victim of Politics (Op-ed)

The recent attack on a famous Repin canvas reflects the Russian authorities’ worsening attitude towards historical fact.
opinion Pavel Aptekar and Vladimir Ruvinsky

Can Russia Afford Its Save-a-Billionaire Relief Program? (Op-ed)

Poor Russians will end up footing the bill.
opinion Pavel Aptekar

The Skripal Case: Another Example of Russia's Poisoned Politics (Op-ed)

Russia’s history of liquidating defectors has ruined the country’s reputation.
opinion Pavel Aptekar

How Russian Actor Serebryakov Was Ostracized for Smearing Russia’s National Identity (Op-ed)

Some Russians have a habit of getting offended on behalf of the entire country and its leadership
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 Pavel Aptekar

Russia Values Being Feared Over its Reputation

Denis Voronenkov’s murder in Kiev is the latest in a series of murky political killings that play up the Kremlin’s omnipotent image.
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Inefficient Russia: Why the Russian Budget Performs Poorly

The low quality of Russian institutions breeds corruption and the misuse of government funds

Belarus President Loses to Street Protesters

Lukashenko is not accustomed to taking orders from protestors. Now he must make concessions and they might not be well considered.

Facing Isolation in the Sports World, Putin Vows to Combat Doping

During an organizing committee meeting for the 2019 University Games in Krasnoyarsk on Wednesday, President Vladimir Putin spoke of the need to eliminate...

How Can Russia Reverse its Negative Demographic Trend?

The Russian government's efforts to prompt more families to have more children have not changed an entrenched preference for small families.
opinion Pavel Aptekar

What's Next for Assad?

The sudden announcement that Syrian President Bashar Assad is ready to hold early elections obviously comes at Moscow's urging.
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Putin's New Diplomacy: Act Now, Talk Later

Russia has invented a new type of diplomacy that defies easy categorization. It might be called "post hoc diplomacy" because Moscow begins negotiations...
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Doing the Math on Import Substitution

From the outset, the import substitution campaign was a simple story about rubles and percentages. Now officials and ordinary Russians are beginning...
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Moscow's New Mosque Is Good News for All

The opening of Moscow's new mosque last week — after the old one at the site was demolished and a much larger one built in its place — was an event...
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Budget Cuts Hit Russian Orphanages Hard

Budget cuts and inadequate incentives for local officials might threaten reforms on Russian orphanages, including the transition to a "family" form...
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Russia's Food Rules Are in Bad Taste

President Vladimir Putin probably ordered the destruction of sanctioned foodstuffs to demonstrate that Moscow is serious: With the West implementing...
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Rewriting Russia's History With 'Iron Felix'

The decision to hold a referendum on the restoration of the monument to Soviet secret police chief Felix Dzerzhinsky on Lubyanskaya Ploshchad in Moscow...
opinion Pavel Aptekar

Why Tolstykh Is Out and Blatter Is In

Only two days separated the re-election of incumbent FIFA President Joseph "Sepp" Blatter and the dismissal of Russian Football Union (RFS) President...