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Articles by Vladimir Frolov

opinion Vladimir Frolov

Strategic Procrastination: What’s Russia’s Game With Nuclear Signaling?

Moscow desperately needs to stop Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Russian troops are losing their combat effectiveness, barely hanging on to the territory...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Can Russia and NATO Come to an Agreement?

Is there a realistic format for a political undertaking not to expand NATO to Russia’s borders?
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Biden Called Putin a Killer. Will That Change Anything?

Although Moscow will show restraint in its foreign policy response to “Biden’s slam”, its response at home promises to be much tougher.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How Russia Deals With the West After Navalny's Jailing

"Forgive the United States, ignore France and punish Germany," is Russia's newfound motto as pressure on the country rises.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

No Longer 'Ours': With a Biden White House, the Kremlin Is Facing a Tough New Reality

The problem for Moscow is not so much the deterioration of relations under Biden: it is the readiness of the White House to minimize these relations.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Trump Wants a Nuclear Deal. Why Is This Bad News for Moscow?

Russia is about to lose its exclusive channel of cooperation with the U.S.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Goodbye, Palestine! Why Trump’s ‘Peace Deal’ Is Good for Moscow

The U.S. plan pushes for recognition of annexed territories — a welcome precedent for Russia’s hold over Crimea.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Macron is 'Ours' — but Does Russia Need Him?

Russian observers are struck by how closely Macron’s views on European security and world order coincide with those of Putin.
Feature

What Did a Russian CIA Agent Achieve in the Kremlin?

The Smolenkov affair reignites talks of “Russian intervention.”
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Rejoices Over Trump’s G7 Readmission Offer

But Putin doesn’t actually want to be part of the group anymore.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia-U.S.-Israel Meeting in Jerusalem Is Doomed to Fail. Here Is Why

Moscow would not mind helping Trump out, but it cannot serve as a provider of free geopolitical services to Washington.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Is Ready to Give Up Venezuela for the Right Price

Sergei Lavrov and Mike Pompeo will soon meet in Helsinki to discuss Venezuela's future.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How Will the New President of Ukraine Build Relations With Russia?

In Ukrainian politics, Russia is still in the game, but don’t expect a return to pre-Maidan days.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Our Man in NATO: Why Putin Lucked Out With Recep Erdogan

Russia is on the verge of a resounding victory over NATO and the United States.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why Moscow Sent Its Military Personnel to Venezuela

Twenty years after NATO’s bombing of Yugoslavia, the Kremlin is anxious to disrupt U.S. influence in Venezuela.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia’s Superpower Status Teeters with INF Treaty (Op-ed)

The Kremlin can no longer tout its membership to an exclusive arms-control club.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

What to Expect From The Helsinki Summit (Op-ed)

The Kremlin’s expectations are high — too high, given the limited scope of the discussion.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Trump's Rants Won’t Unite the EU and Russia (Op-ed)

Russia gains from a United States weakened by Trump’s disruptive rhetoric.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

On North Korea, Trump Has Putin Playing Second Fiddle (Op-ed)

Moscow is pulling out all the stops to get a seat at the table.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why Russia Wants the Iran Nuclear Deal (Op-ed)

As far as Moscow is concerned, the Trump administration is about to shoot itself in the foot.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

What Comes After Tillerson’s Broken Promise to Russia? (Op-ed)

Pompeo’s stance on some major issues may not be of comfort to Russia.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

For Russia, There’s No Way Out of Syria (Op-ed)

Syrian President Bashar Assad has trapped Russia into fighting til the bitter end.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why the Directors of Russia’s Intelligence Agencies Visited Washington (Op-ed)

Confidential contact between the U.S. and Russia is the best hope for restoring relations.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why the Iran Protests Have Russia on Edge (Op-ed)

For the Kremlin, instability in Iran carries a widening range of existential threats.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Flynn’s Guilty Plea Entrenches Already Rock-Bottom Russia Ties (Op-ed)

The relationship between Washington and Moscow was already at a historic low
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Is Gunning for the Syrian Finish Line (Op-ed)

If Russia’s frantic peacemaking efforts fail, it will not be for lack of trying
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Two Years on, the Stakes of Russia's War in Syria Are Piling (Op-ed)

Russia may have helped Assad win the war, but crucial decisions lie ahead
opinion Vladimir Frolov

In Ukraine, Russia Wants Political Control, Not Territory (Op-ed)

A meeting between Moscow's and Washington's top envoys on Ukraine exposes fault lines
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia's Response to Sanctions Shows Restraint (Op-ed)

The expulsions allow Russia to signal displeasure without doing serious harm. But that could change.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

In Trump’s Russia Affair, The Dust Never Seems to Settle (Op-ed)

Last week, it was revelations of an undisclosed meeting between senior Trump campaign officials, including the president’s son and son-in-law, and a...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin and Trump Talked. But Don’t Bet on Real Change (Op-ed)

Anything other than a presidential brawl would have passed as a diplomatic breakthrough.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

On the Cheap and for the Elite: Great Power as the New Legitimacy

Russia’s foreign policy reinvented itself in mid-2012 after Vladimir Putin’s return to the presidency. His third term has been almost entirely consumed...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Tillerson’s Russia Strategy May Look Too Much Like Obama’s (Op-ed)

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is working hard to save what remains of the U.S.-Russia relationship.

New U.S. Sanctions on Russia Jeopardize Trump - Putin Dialogue (Op-ed)

President Putin has two options: retaliate in kind, and forfeit hopes for repairing ties with Washington, or risk being exposed as weak in defense of Russia’s...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russian Hacking Allegations Could Get Putin Reelected (Op-ed)

Vladimir Putin danced circles around U.S. television host Megyn Kelly on June 5, deflecting her questions on Russia’s meddling in U.S. presidential election...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why Russia Won't Cave to Western Demands (Op-ed)

Russia won’t agree to the West’s conditions for reconciliation — at least not in an election year.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Moscow's Failed French Election Gambit (Op-Ed)

Russia's media attacks on French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron are a political fumble. It didn't have to be this way.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Has Backed Itself Into a Corner in Syria

The chemical attack in Idlib changed everything. Trump’s personal position on Syria and Assad has shifted radically, military action is now on the table...

Breaching Protocol: Why Did Putin Meet Le Pen in Moscow? (Op-Ed)

Putin has shown the Russian public that the Kremlin has allies in Europe who support its worldview.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Wants to Be a Deal-Maker in Libya

Reports that Russia has deployed special forces to a military base in Egypt to assist Libyan National Army general Khalifa Haftar come as no surprise....

Why Trump’s New Ambassador to Russia is a Welcome Choice for the Kremlin

The upcoming appointment of Jon Huntsman, former governor of Utah and previously U.S. ambassador to China, for the role of U.S. ambassador to Russia, if...

It’s Time to Make Nuclear Arms Control Great Again

Moscow is intent linking deals with Trump into a “grand bargain” where Russia’s interests in Ukraine and European security would crowd out nuclear...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

The Art of a Raw Deal (Op-ed)

Any deal Trump makes with Putin would amount to a fire sale of U.S. foreign policy interests
opinion Vladimir Frolov

A Test for Donald Trump in the Donbass (Op-Ed)

Washington appears to be moving toward decoupling sanctions on Russia from the Kremlin's implementation of its political obligations in Donbass.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

It Started With a Call

Presidents Trump and Putin lay the foundations of a new partnership that could upend the global order.

Moscow Pivots From Combatant to Peacemaker in Syria (Op-Ed)

The challenge for Moscow now is to find viable levers of control over the Syrian regime and its Iranian backers to enforce the ceasefire and pressure all...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia vs. The Global Order: What Will Trump's Divided Administration Do About It?

If Moscow plays its cards right and does not get too pushy, it could get Trump do Russia's work in terms of disrupting US alliances and weakening US power...

The New Axis: Russia, Turkey and Iran Take Over Syria

This is Putin’s personal revenge on Obama for having labeled Russia a “declining” and “regional” power. With the Russia-Turkey-Iran axis, it...

The Aftermath: What Russia Will Do After the Assassination of Its Envoy

Russia can secure now its role as the new kingmaker in the Middle East, displacing the United States as the region’s indispensable power

Why Aleppo’s Gruesome Fall Puts Syria’s Fate in Moscow’s Hands

Either Russia indulges the ambitions of Syria’s president Bashar Assad to continue with his military campaign aimed at wiping out the Syrian opposition...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia’s New Foreign Policy — A Show of Force and Power Projection (Op-ed)

Militarization is now Moscow’s most effective foreign policy tool
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How the Kremlin Could Cash In on Trump's Foreign Policy Disarray

Overall, Russia’s preliminary assessment of Trump’s emerging national security team is leaning toward weak and dysfunctional, compared to Moscow’s...

The Art Of The Deal: Russia Is Keen For Trump's Ad Hoc Diplomacy

Although Republican control over both houses of Congress may mean a repeal of Obama’s domestic legacy, on foreign policy, particularly on U.S.-Russia...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

No Miracle After Berlin meeting: Ukraine Deadlocked, Putin Stands Ground on Syria

Merkel and Hollande had only one card to play - the threat of new sanctions on Russia over its bombing in Syria. Moscow correctly read this as bluster...

Russian Spycraft: How the Kremlin Hacked Its Way Into a Crisis

It is unlikely that the Kremlin really hoped to influence the results of the U.S. presidential election or viewed Donald Trump’s victory as likely. This...

Into the Trap: How U.S. Risks Direct Confrontation With Russia in Syria

With a Russian-backed offensive in eastern Aleppo underway, a direct military confrontation between Russia and the United States is no longer the stuff...

Why Is Moscow Bombing Its Way Out of Cooperation With U.S. in Syria?

It is hard to escape the impression that Russia has decided this week to bomb its way out of its most important diplomatic achievement — the Kerry-Lavrov...

Will New U.S.-Russia Deal on Syria Prove a Game Changer?

The new U.S.-Russia deal on the Syrian ceasefire could be a game changer in international efforts to end the bloody war in Syria. Or the deal, the product...

The Final Encounter: Obama and Putin Meet for the Last Time

Russian President Vladimir Putin heads to the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, on Sept. 4 to lock in his geopolitical gains in a private meeting with U.S...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How Terror Attacks Gift Russia Foreign Policy Opportunity

Russia has waged a war on terror at home and abroad. But when Moscow calls for joining forces with the West to combat global terrorism, it inevitably pursues...

A Modest Deal: Vladimir Putin’s New Détente

Moscow has been taking stock of its forceful policies to reassert Russia’s status as a great global power and to roll back the expansion of Western institutions...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Looks On as Ukraine Hangs in the Balance (Op-Ed)

The horse-trading that accompanied the resignation of Ukrainian Prime Minister Yatsenyuk on April 10 may seem surprising to many post-Soviet leaders...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

The Spy Game: What Moscow Really Wants From Savchenko Exchange

Few should be surprised that the Kremlin has floated a proposal to exchange Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, recently sentenced to 22 years in prison...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Mission Incomplete: Syria Has Not Achieved Bipolar World for Russia

Perhaps the best way to describe the results of Russia’s military intervention in Syria after President Vladimir Putin’s surprise announcement that...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Loses Its Trump Card

Republican voters in Iowa may have thwarted Russian President Vladimir Putin's wish to see the "doubtlessly talented" Donald Trump as the next U.S...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Bogged Down in the Middle East, Russia Loses Honest Broker Image

Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic and trade ties with Iran in retaliation for the provocative ransacking of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran by what appeared...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Seeks Entente Cordiale With the West (Op-Ed)

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not the type of leader who wastes a geopolitical opportunity. This is his way of making foreign policy.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Is Angling for a Quick Exit From Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin is pivoting to diplomacy on Syria to capitalize on the perception of Russia's military success after four weeks of air...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Syria Is Further Souring U.S.-Russian Relations

The U.S.-Russia relationship has been in the doldrums since early 2014 over Russia's shenanigans in Ukraine, but Moscow's dive into Syria's civil war...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Chooses Simple, Dangerous Plan in Syria

President Vladimir Putin's Syrian gambit has catapulted the Russian leader to the center of international diplomacy, winning him a much-coveted bilateral...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kremlin Must Tread Very Carefully in Syria

President Vladimir Putin is continuing to provide Syria with military equipment and military experts.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

A Desperate Kremlin Misreads Washington

The sense of desperation was conveyed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's awkward statement last week that Moscow would view positively a U...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kremlin Is Caught in A Trap With Minsk-2

The Kremlin is watching the implementation of the Minsk-2 agreement nervously. The agreement is failing to deliver on Russia's policy goals in Ukraine...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Must Focus on Thinking Long-Term

With President Vladimir Putin engrossed in matters of history, religion, geopolitics and war, a sense of strategic drift is unnerving the nation's...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why Obama and Putin Are Tied to Each Other

The Kremlin will milk for what it is worth U.S. President Barack Obama's "encouragement" with Moscow's "cooperative compartmentalization" on the Iran...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Will Moscow Push for Settlement in Ukraine?

Moscow is sending conflicting signals about its plans for Ukraine. For once, there are signs it is seeking an honorable exit and a comprehensive settlement...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Was Kudrin Offering Putin a Graceful Exit?

Is former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin offering President Vladimir Putin a graceful exit? This may be the logic behind Kudrin's call last week for an...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Will the Transdnestr Crisis Force Russia Into War?

The West should help defuse a potentially explosive situation over Russia's military access to the self-proclaimed republic of Transdnestr which is...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kiev Can Save Donbass By Ditching Crimea

The West has now engaged Moscow in a delicate diplomatic dance to reach a lasting political settlement in Ukraine.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

The Kremlin Has No Plans for the Future

With Russia facing a lost decade of economic stagnation that would reduce its share of global gross domestic product to less than 2 percent, President...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Has Putin Played All His Cards in Ukraine?

The Kremlin is desperately seeking Western help, even calling upon U.S. President Obama to join the Normandy format, to pressure Kiev to reintegrate...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

U.S. Must Step Up and Help Out on Ukraine

Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko told Bloomberg recently that without high-profile American involvement there could be no stability in Ukraine...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

What Will the Kremlin Do Next in Ukraine?

With the Minsk II agreement stalled and EU sanctions tied to its full implementation, it is getting increasingly hard to see Moscow's endgame in Ukraine...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kadyrov, FSB at War After Nemtsov Death

The Chechen connection to the assassination of Russia's opposition leader Boris Nemtsov is pushing Russia's spooks into political battles they would...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Has Unleashed Dangerous Extremism

The brazen assassination of Boris Nemtsov, a central figure in Russia's opposition movement, should give Russian President Vladimir Putin pause before...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Minsk Deal Is Playing Into Moscow's Hands

The best that could be said about the Minsk II agreement is that it allows Russia to pursue its strategic objectives in Ukraine through means other than...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

It's Impossible to Find Good Spies These Days

While Russia's counter-intelligence agents were busy arresting a mother of seven from Vyazma and having her indicted for high treason for calling...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Is in No Hurry to Resolve Ukraine Crisis

As European Union foreign ministers meet this week to discuss possible ways forward with Russia to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, they may have to contemplate...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia's Foreign Policy Shoots Itself in the Foot

2014 has been a terrible year for Russia's foreign policy. For the first time in 15 years the country's international position has been significantly...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Can Putinism Have a Future Without Putin?

Deputy Kremlin chief of staff Vyacheslav Volodin announced last week the advent of "Putin's era" — a period of unshaken political stability lasting...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Will Continue to Fight Dirty in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not looking for an easy exit from the Ukraine conflict. He is digging in for the long haul to secure his end goal:...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Despite Putin's Rhetoric, No New World Order

President Vladimir Putin's call for a new world order to end U.S. global hegemony has generated some catchy headlines, but as a policy initiative it...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Is Trying to End Sanctions and Save Face

The Kremlin is currently engaged in a delicate diplomatic dance to get Western sanctions lifted without creating an appearance of ever asking for it...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Border Control Is Vital For Ukrainian Stability

As President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Petro Poroshenko, prepare for their face-to-face meeting in Milan later this week, their...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Web Crackdown Will Hurt Ordinary Russians

While the Kremlin is seriously considering cutting the country off from the global Internet, an obscure piece of legislation is likely to prove no...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Would Russia Be Better Off Under a Monarchy?

Vladimir Zhirinovsky often speaks truth to power. His recent initiative to dispense with direct presidential elections and anoint Vladimir Putin the country's...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Almost All Outcomes in Ukraine Will Suit Putin

At a pro-Kremlin youth camp at Lake Seliger on Friday, President Vladimir Putin said it was imperative to force Kiev to end its military operations...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin's One-Man Rule Favors Luck Over Logic

To an outside observer, Russia may appear to be punching above its geopolitical weight in Ukraine. Despite appearances though, the Kremlin's policy-making...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Needs Kudrin's Help in Ukraine Crisis

As President Vladimir Putin contemplates the unraveling of his international stature over the Ukraine debacle and gropes around for a "no retreat...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

MH17 Ends Russia's Dreams of Soft Power

Moscow's reaction to the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 and the latest round of U.S. sanctions reveals signs of disarray over the strategic...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin and Poroshenko Need Deal to Save Face


Despite their rhetoric, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and President Vladimir Putin need each other in order to save face as the cost of Russian...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How Putin Uses Ukraine to Undermine His Rivals

President Vladimir Putin may fail to secure his goal of derailing Ukraine's Association Agreement with the EU, but at home he has already cashed in on...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia is On Track to Become Another Iran

In 1994, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, describing the prospects for the U.S.-Russia relationship, argued that Russia could be either "a...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Support for Thugs Can Only Hurt Moscow

The Kremlin's support for armed separatists in eastern Ukraine may come back to haunt it as the chaos fuels terrorism fears and strengthens Ukraine...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Blackmail Is a Bad Policy To Advance Russia's Interests

While President Vladimir Putin's short-term goals in Ukraine are discernible, his strategic objectives in going rogue remain largely a mystery.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

What Putin's New Soviet Union Would Look Like

As the leaders of the Customs Union are meeting this week in Moscow, the Kremlin's heart may no longer be in it.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Crimea Helped Putin Hijack the Nationalists

Whether through a stroke of pure political genius or sheer good luck, President Vladimir Putin's Crimea venture and his response to the Maidan uprising...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia's Foreign Policy In a Flux After Crimea

While President Vladimir Putin is savoring the domestic political upside of his Crimea gambit, the gains for his foreign policy are harder to see...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

The Kremlin Speeding Down Highway to Hell

Moscow is speeding past the first off-ramp in the Crimea crisis. It is important to slow down a bit to look for the last exit from this highway...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin's Imperial Pursuit Of a Subordinate Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin's Crimean gambit has multiple political objectives, and annexing the region may not be the most important of them.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Yanukovych's Classic Case of State Capture

It may seem a stretch to compare the latest upheaval in Ukraine to the popular uprisings of the Arab Spring in 2011. Indeed, religious, cultural...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Khodorkovsky's New Image as a Nationalist

Former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky may have flustered some die-hard liberals in Russia by saying in his first media interviews after his release...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Yanukovych's Chutzpah In Scoring $15Bln in Aid

The winner of this year's 2013 "Global Chutzpah Awards" is Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin's Illiberal Empire As Model to Lead CIS

Almost 20 years ago, Anatoly Chubais, who was then head of the country's voucher-privatization program, penned an important foreign policy essay, offering...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Leave Government If You Want to Trash It

President Vladimir Putin has warned members of his government and former tandem partner Dmitry Medvedev against publicly voicing their disagreement with...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Trying to Put Nationalist Genie Back in the Bottle

If there is a message for President Vladimir Putin from last week's "Russian March" in Moscow, it is probably this: Be careful what you wish for.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

A Global Power Can't Have Porous Borders

In the aftermath of ethnic riots in Biryulyovo, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has proposed searching private apartments for illegal aliens.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

50 Shades of Putinism: A Legacy of Repression

Like every aging world leader, President Vladimir Putin is thinking about his legacy. He has given himself ample time for that by hinting recently that...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin and Obama Take Responsibility in Syria

U.S. President Barack Obama and President Vladimir Putin now share a unique political challenge: they both own Syria.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russians Sick and Tired Of Phony Democracy

For the Kremlin, there are several takeaways from the disastrous mayoral election in Moscow.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kremlin Gives Navalny A Hard Faustian Bargain

As opposition leader Alexei Navalny heads for his strong second finish at the mayoral election in Moscow on Sunday — he will likely get more than...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How Navalny Has Cut Sobyanin Down to Size

Watching Sergei Sobyanin run for mayor of Moscow makes you wonder if his real motive was more compelling than an intolerable urge to seek the popular...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Navalny Rises as Head of Post-Soviet Generation

Whatever the final tally on Sept. 8, the Moscow mayoral race is likely to be a paradigm-shifting event for Russia.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Navalny Verdict Turns Vote Into Good vs. Evil

With opposition leader Alexei Navalny running for mayor of Moscow with a jail sentence around his neck and thousands of his supporters prepared to stage...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Digital Sovereignty Is the Right to Spy on Citizens

It would be perversely ironic if Edward Snowden's crusade against the U.S. government Internet surveillance programs resulted in less Internet freedom...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

China More Democratic Than Russia These Days

Russian policymakers frequently blame the country's 1990s democratization for all its current woes.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin's Popular Front Should Be Eliminated

Two years ago, President Vladimir Putin asked his senior aide Vladislav Surkov what he thought about the new pro-Kremlin project, the Popular Front.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Nobody Knows if Russia Can Survive After Putin

There is one question many wanted to ask during President Vladimir Putin's latest call-in show but were too afraid: Is there a future for Russia after...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Rise and Fall of Surkov's Sovereign Democracy

In early 2005, Gleb Pavlovsky, the Kremlin's top spin doctor at the time, spoke to a small group of political junkies.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

What Putin Shares With A Middle East Autocrat

The parallels are eerily striking. A strong leader with a security background inherits supreme power in a large and strategically important country...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin's Leadership Trap

When elected president in 2000, Vladimir Putin's first order of business seemed straightforward: strengthen the Russian state and bring it back from oligarchic...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Leading the Opposition With the People's Front

In an early March interview with Moskovsky Komsomolets, the Kremlin's spin doctor Dmitry Badovsky argued that it is now more important to raise a viable...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Could Lose Big If He Dissolves Duma

Could President Vladimir Putin benefit politically by disbanding the State Duma and calling an early parliamentary election?
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why Putin Should Make This Term His Final One

About a year ago, in what sounded like a reluctant endorsement by Russia's big business of Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency, VTB president...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Open Season Declared To Discredit Medvedev

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev's status is being upgraded from "damaged goods" to "fair game." The knives are aimed at him, and if he doesn't push...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Obama Won't Go Out of His Way to Please Russia

U.S. President Barack Obama is a cool customer on foreign policy. When faced with a quid pro quo that advances his political goals and U.S. interests...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kremlin Running Out of Options as Protests Grow

The Kremlin is running out of palatable options to neutralize the continuing street protests in Moscow.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Looks Spiteful and Petty on Adoption Law

A true great-power response to the U.S. Magnitsky Act would have been a curt statement of regret. This is how President Vladimir Putin reacted in 2001...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kremlin's Shift On Syria Is Too Little and Late

Russia is shifting its position on Syria toward more cooperation with the West to secure a settlement in the 21-month civil war. Unfortunately, it...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin's Anti-Corruption Campaign May Backfire

It may feel like hitting a political trifecta. You defang the political issue that energizes your opponents. You restore your standing with the military...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

One Way That Obama Can Revive His Reset

With Moscow taking a heavy sigh of relief over U.S. President Barack Obama's re-election, it is easy to ignore the political constraints Obama will...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Is Paying Attention To Opposition Council

Despite public sneering and disparaging comments, the Kremlin is taking the recent election of the opposition's Coordinating Council seriously. It...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Turns Into Russia's Most Indispensable Man

Displaying an inner certitude that allows for little dissent, President Vladimir Putin told NTV television on Oct. 7 that he trusts his gut feeling...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Has Its Own Tea Party With Rodina

For those who bemoan the absence of Russian Republicans, here is an angry force in our politics that has all the markings of the Tea Party movement...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

On Pension Plan, Putin Shows He's Not a Leader

President Vladimir Putin is miffed at the government's tardiness to fulfill his campaign promises to bring heaven to earth during his rule. But the system...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How Putin's Strategy Is Blowing Up in His Face

Since the presidential election, Vladimir Putin has embraced a divisive political strategy that risks blowing up in his face.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Medvedev Must Give Up His Presidential Dreams

In an interview with the Times of London during the Olympics, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev again indicated his intention to run for president....
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Will Never Leave The Kremlin

President Vladimir Putin has recently made it clear that he does not entertain the possibility of leaving power.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

What's Good for Putin Is Bad for Foreign Policy

Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency was expected to bring more brains and dexterity to the country's foreign policy.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin's Own Hurricane Katrina

President Vladimir Putin should call Crawford, Texas, and ask his pal, former U.S. President George W. Bush, for advice on how to salvage a presidency...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Fighting Assad's War Is None of Russia's Business

The Syrian crisis exposes the limits of Russian power and tests the Russian leaders' sense of the nation's interests.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Tough-Guy Tactics Not Working on Protests

The Kremlin and the protest movement have effectively checkmated each other. Both are running short on strategies that could bring a clear victory...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Ministers Must Pass Through Duma Control

The tortuous process of forming the new Cabinet and the public stupefaction over some surprise appointments reveal a constitutional flaw that works...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Farewell to Medvedev's Hapless Foreign Policy

Whatever the reasons were for dispatching Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to the Group of Eight summit over the weekend as a stand-in for President...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin's Big Inauguration Is Immersed in Big Lies

The regal inauguration of President Vladimir Putin last Monday offered a creepy scene: Putin's motorcade traveled along dead-quiet, deserted streets...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

After Vote, Putin is Full of Cynicism and Deceit

The Kremlin's latest moves to eviscerate the fledgling political reforms and to continue manipulative politics of managed democracy are troubling...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

4 Ways for Opposition To Broaden Its Support

It is often argued that the Russian protest movement is ebbing because it lacks a positive agenda. Indeed, such an agenda has not been fully articulated...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin and Obama Will Be Friends — for Now

Despite a seemingly lethal overdose of anti-American vitriol during Vladimir Putin's presidential campaign, the stage is being set for a short-term...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why Putin Let Prokhorov Enter Politics

The good news about this presidential election is that it may initiate the process of building a countervailing pole to Putin's political dominance...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

The Beginning of the End for Vladimir Putin

In a week, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will be handed the victory he deserves. After all, never before has he had to work so hard to win a presidential...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Protesters Should Copy U.S. Civil Rights March

As Vladimir Putin cruises to an assured presidential victory, Russia's resilient protest movement has to demonstrate that it has the strategy to convert...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Protesters Send Signal to Putin: Let My People Go

What do U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin have in common? They are both fortunate in their presidential opponents.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Alexei Navalny Can Free Russia From Its 'Matrix'

Were today's Russian politics cast as a Hollywood movie, it could be a sequel to the legendary "Matrix" by the Wachowski brothers.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How Medvedev Tainted Putin's Presidential Bid

Perhaps unintentionally, President Dmitry Medvedev has cast a pall over the legitimacy of Vladimir Putin's expected coronation as president in March...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Between Bush and Lukashenko

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is living his De Gaulle moment — a blinding mixture of stupefaction and anger that his country no longer wants him back...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How Medvedev Can Still Save His Legacy

Regardless of the final results for United Russia, which he led in Sunday's elections, President Dmitry Medvedev needs to think hard about his place...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin More Frank With Foreigners Than Russians

Perhaps a true measure of rulers' distrust of their people is when they choose to be more frank with foreigners and rush to tell them what they are...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Brezhnev

Russia's ruling tandem seems to be blissfully unaware of the proverbial first rule of holes: When you are in a hole, stop digging!
opinion Vladimir Frolov

The Legitimacy Deficit Is Getting Even Larger

In a prophetic speech in February, then-Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin warned that Russia's modernization could only be carried out by a government...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Joins Elite Club of Presidents-for-Life-istan

The most striking thing about the ruling tandem's succession decision is not that they had settled on this arrangement four years ago and have been...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Prokhorov, Rogozin Lost in Putin's Kremlin Plans

It is good to know that Russia's ruling tandem pays attention to this column. Earlier this month, I suggested that since Prime Minister Vladimir Putin...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why Medvedev Got Tough on Yanukovych

Can foreign policy serve as an indication of where things are heading within Russia's ruling tandem? A closer look at what's happening in relations with...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Prime Minister Medvedev

It is the most anticipated political event in Russia. It drives its elites and its respective clans nuts. World leaders are watching it closely. Bets...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

The Reset Is Fizzling Out

The future of the U.S.-Russian "reset" could shape President Dmitry Medvedev and U.S. President Barack Obama's legacy in foreign affairs. But their...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Medvedev Has Lost His 2012 Bid

Earlier this year, I argued that the best option for Prime Minster Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev was to quickly announce that they would...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Foreign Policy Out of Tandem

I have noticed that tandemocracy, while beneficial for Russia's internal development, may not be such a healthy arrangement for the country's foreign...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Medvedev Might Not Be So Liberal After All

Two recent actions by President Dmitry Medvedev cast a pall over his credentials as a liberal modernizer and a crusader against corruption.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Goes Soviet While Medvedev Offers Hope

Amid the heated rhetoric in advance of the March presidential election, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is still lacking a viable rationale for returning...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Tandem Would Gain If Khodorkovsky Set Free

Russia's political stars could not be better aligned for the early release of former Yukos owners Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev from prison...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Finding a Way for Putin to Step Aside Powerfully

It would be wrong to dismiss President Dmitry Medvedev as a lame duck after his news conference last week. All the signals Medvedev sent were the right...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Mironov Loses Power and Putin Gains More

Even as President Dmitry Medvedev mulls over a re-election bid, here is what I am willing to bet will happen in the 2012 vote. On May 18, United Russia...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

2012 Race Could Come Down to Coke vs. Pepsi

We have two distinct visions for the nation's future. One is Medvedev's "deep and broad modernization" — a Silicon Skolkovo Model. The other is Putin's...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Tandem Rivalry Could Build a 2-Party System

Less than a year ago, it seemed almost natural that President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin would meet in mid-2011 and decide quietly...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Memo to Kremlin Aides: Medvedev Needs Putin

With Prime Minster Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev publicly sparring over the UN resolution on Libya, an ominous question has begun to cloud...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Without Any Narrative, Medvedev Is in Trouble

Dmitry Medvedev's presidency from the beginning has been lacking a broad and persuasive political narrative. Medvedev should have tied together all...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Rogozin Would Make an Excellent President

President Dmitry Medvedev, in a signal that he views missile defense talks with NATO as his top foreign policy priority, appointed Dmitry Rogozin, Russia's...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Medvedev's Awkward 'Gorbachev Moment'

Medvedev is approaching a Gorbachev moment. He either makes the reset more of a two-way street, or he risks being portrayed as a U.S. stooge. Picking...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Medvedev Takes Pass in Davos on Rule of Law

The strategy presented by President Dmitry Medvedev at Davos last week is well-
intentioned and competently crafted.
But it said absolutely nothing about...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Ruling Tandem Makes Russia More Democratic

Vladimir Putin’s decision in 2007 not to change the Constitution to allow himself a third presidential term and his subsequent repositioning as the most...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

WikiLeaks May Increase Kremlin Clan Infighting

It is hard to believe that Julian Assange, founder of the WikiLeaks web site, ever intended to meddle in Russian politics, particularly in its most sensitive...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

'Long Shot' Bid to Bring Political Zombies to Life

The best that could be said about President Dmitry Medvedev’s latest call for more competition in Russian politics is that he and his tandem partner...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Medvedev Can Learn From Obama’s Errors

To the Kremlin’s chagrin, U.S. President Barack Obama suffered a stinging political defeat at the midterm congressional elections two weeks ago.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Fray Between Putin and Medvedev to Get Uglier

The continuing uncertainty about whether President Dmitry Medvedev or Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will run for president in 2012 is becoming a source...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Video-Blog Diplomacy Could Trap Medvedev

President Dmitry Medvedev has introduced an innovative way to conduct foreign policy — video-blog diplomacy.
On Oct. 3, Medvedev recorded a video message...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Medvedev Looks More Like the Next President

The surprising news about Yury Luzhkov’s unceremonious dismissal by President Dmitry Medvedev is that it has made Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s return...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Attacking Luzhkov Is Like Playing With Fire

As the clamor grows with every passing day from liberal circles for President Dmitry Medvedev to fire Mayor Yury Luzhkov, I have a piece of friendly advice...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Medvedev Gets Caught In Kremlin Mouse Trap

It is hard to see a net political gain for President Dmitry Medvedev from his awkward decision to temporarily halt the construction of a federal highway...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

‘Green’ Medvedev Can Initiate Next Big Thing

President Dmitry Medvedev has admitted that climate change is real and introduced policies to boost efficiency and cut greehouse gas emissions — a welcome...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Medvedev’s Big Flub on 3rd Presidential Runner

In an incredible act of political self-immolation, President Dmitry Medvedev has suggested that there might be a third candidate in the 2012 presidential...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kremlin Needs Plan B To Oust Lukashenko

It is hard to discern the strategy behind the Kremlin’s decision to initiate a character assassination campaign against Belarussian President Alexander...