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Opinion

Elena Davlikanova

Negotiations Are Not Ending the Ukraine War – They Are Extending It

Even before the Iran war drove up oil prices, Washington's strategy of conceding to the Kremlin enabled Russia's continued war on Ukraine.
Andrei Pivovarov

For Russians in Europe, Being Quietly Anti-War Is No Longer Enough

The harsh truth is that most Russian emigres are apolitical, at best. If we want to be taken seriously, we have to be more openly against the war.
5 Min read
Emanuel Pietrobon

Here's Why Cuba Remains Russia’s Foothold on Washington’s Doorstep

Moscow keeps the isolated island afloat in return for its mineral wealth and convenient location for intelligence gathering.
4 Min read
Khandama Tudebei

Russia’s New Law Redefines Which Languages Can Exist in Public Space

When you force a language out of public and into the home, the language risks disappearing as young people stop seeing it as useful.
5 Min read
Sergei Shelin

Why High Oil Prices Won't Fix Russia's Budget Crisis

Rising fossil fuel prices may help Moscow avoid a worst-case scenario. But the core problems at the heart of Russia's economy remain.
6 Min read
Casey Michel

Russia Is Failing Its Allies When It Matters Most

Actions speak louder than words — and Moscow is even denying reports that it's supporting Iran at all.
5 Min read
Andrey Sapozhnikov

Russia's Censorship Laws Are Killing Its Pop Culture

Sweeping bans on discussing drugs, politics and “non-traditional values” are forcing artists and labels to censor themselves.
6 Min read
Daniele Stracquadanio

We’re Entering a World Run by Trump and Putin’s Rules

Washington and Moscow look less like ideological rivals than the joint architects of an international order where might makes right.
4 Min read
Tatyana Rybakova

Moscow's Lavish Spending Has Become a Political Problem

What do you do when you're accused of spending too much when the country's at war? Cut the size of the city's workforce, of course.
5 Min read
Nikita Smagin

Russia’s Investments in Iran At Risk, Regardless of War’s Outcome

Russia was the largest foreign investor in Iran each year since 2022. The war could transform their economic relationship.
5 Min read
Alexandra Borissova Saleh

Russia’s Scientists Were an Asset to the Kremlin. Then They Became ‘Undesirable.’

Because they saw the world beyond Russia's borders as an opportunity rather than a threat, Russian scientists face a witch hunt.
4 Min read
Pippa Crawford

'Mr. Nobody Against Putin' Doesn't Settle for Easy Answers. That's Important.

The film, which is less about resistance than a chronicle of society during war, is a promising and worthy award contender.
4 Min read
Nigel Gould-Davies

Russia's War on Ukraine Isn't at a Stalemate. That Encourages Escalation.

Moscow can't win the war in Ukraine outright and refuses to scale back its goals, locking Kyiv in an arms race of attrition.
5 Min read
Jennifer G. Mathers

As Manpower Shortages Deepen, Russia Recruits Foreign Women for War

Unlike Ukraine, Russia has not drawn attention to women in combat roles as it would undermine Moscow's masculine image.
5 Min read
Nicholas Castillo

Once a Critical Partner, the Ayatollah's Fall Looks to Have Minimal Fallout for Russia’s War

Russia wisely resisted over-reliance on Iran, onshoring much of the weapons manufacturing with which Tehran supplied Moscow.
5 Min read
Viktoria Maladaeva

Shaman Disrespected the Sacred Lake Baikal. But It Faces Ecological Catastrophe, Too.

Hopefully the backlash to the singer's actions will wake the world up to the threats to the sacred and ecologically unique lake.
3 Min read
Polly Jones

70 Years After the Secret Speech, Russia Is Still Reckoning With Stalin

Putin's ambivalence toward Stalin seems part of a strategy to stop Russians drawing parallels between their country's past and present.
6 Min read
Elena Davlikanova

The Abnormal Normality of the Ukraine War Enters its Fifth Year

Ukraine’s suffering and courage are becoming old news to many. Yet one cannot grow accustomed to the sound of explosions at night.
4 Min read
An Anonymous Writer in Russia

I Was Working for Russian State Media When the Kremlin Invaded Ukraine. This Is What I Remember.

The war did not come as a surprise to me, but I still couldn't believe what was happening — and I knew I had to quit.
6 Min read
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