THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

Who Is Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's Hawkish Ex-President? By AFP Aug. 2, 2025 Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, current deputy head of Russia's Security Council. Yekaterina Shtukina/POOL/TASS Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, whose comments prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to move two nuclear submarines, was once seen as a liberal reformer but has become one of the Kremlin's most prominent anti-Western hawks. The 59-year-old, who served as head of state between 2008 and 2012, sought “friendly” ties with Europe and the United States during his single term but faded into obscurity after handing the post back to President Vladimir Putin. Demoted to prime minister in 2012 and then made deputy head of Russia's Security Council in 2020 — a largely advisory role — Medvedev began espousing hardline views on social media shortly after Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive. In public statements since the conflict began he has described Westerners as “bastards and degenerates,” declared that “Ukraine is, of course, Russia” and raised the possibility of using nuclear weapons against Russia's enemies. In June, after the U.S. launched air strikes on nuclear facilities in Moscow…

From Putin's personal spy, former FSB director Patrushev became his ... We recommend you 1 Marta Pejoska, artist: The lake and water have been the inspiration for my filigree jewelry for years 2 The US-Iran deal has 14 points — an end to war on all fronts 3 The prosecution requests detention for the person who set fire to the cars in front of the Bulgarian Embassy 4 VIDEO POLL: Data centers in Macedonia, yes or no? 5 VIDEO | Man swung an axe at an ATM in Resen, he wasn't gentle Show more news We recommend you Marta Pejoska, artist: The lake and water have been the inspiration for my filigree jewelry for years 16/06/2026 - 20:11 The US-Iran deal has 14 points — an end to war on all fronts 16/06/2026 - 20:03 The prosecution requests detention for the person who set fire to the cars in front of the Bulgarian Embassy 16/06/2026 - 19:38 VIDEO POLL: Data centers in Macedonia, yes or no? 16/06/2026 - 19:00 VIDEO | Man swung an axe at an ATM in Resen, he wasn't gentle 16/06/2026 - 18:35 England lost an important player one day before the match with Croatia, Tuchel called in a replacement from Chelsea 16/06/2026 - 17:11 Merz and the world — conflicts, closeness, new alliances 16/06/2026 - …

The Russian Reckoning | World News - Hindustan Times Could Russia be losing its hard-won post-Cold-War status as a great power? As the bad news for Vladimir Putin piles up, the question of Russian decline—and its implications for world geopolitics—is coming into focus. Recent weeks have been nightmarish for the Russian leader. Kyiv’s drone strikes deep into Russian territory have disrupted the lives of millions of Russians who had been told they were winning a war against a weak and ineffectual Ukraine. The unrelenting pace of military casualties continues to bleed Russia’s declining population without significant battlefield advances. As blackouts and fuel shortages hobble Russian-occupied Crimea—where desperate tourists and residents are struggling to escape the hard-hit peninsula via war-damaged routes—Mr. Putin faces his greatest political challenge since Boris Yeltsin handed him the keys to the Kremlin in 1999. The news on the battlefront and in the air war is bad enough for the Kremlin; the big picture looks even worse. From a military point of view, the most salient aspect is the failure of Russian power in and around the Black Sea. In 2022, Russia’s armed forces failed t…

SPIEF 2026: 7 key issues Putin raised on Moscow's vision Share Facebook X LinkedIn Tumblr Pinterest Reddit VKontakte Odnoklassniki Pocket Skype Messenger Messenger WhatsApp Telegram Viber Line Share via Email Print kremlin.ru , CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons SPIEF 2026: Putin outlines Moscow’s vision for international security and the global economic order Russian President Vladimir Putin’s statements at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum this year formed a comprehensive presentation of Moscow’s vision on key international issues, from the war in Ukraine and relations with Iran, to the future of the global economy, Western sanctions, and the role of the BRICS group. While some statements focused on security and political issues, others carried economic and strategic messages reflecting Russia’s perception of ongoing shifts in international power balances. Ukraine at the forefront of messages.. Eradicating Nazism The Ukrainian file occupied a large part of Putin’s statements, as he affirmed that some goals of Russia’s military operation can be achieved through the negotiation track, indicating that Moscow sees the possibility of addressing some political issues thro…

The end of Putin’s regime will spring from war spending ... - Fortune Vladimir Putin’s grip on power has remained resilient despite the economic woes caused by his invasion of Ukraine, but the seeds of an eventual decline may have already been planted, according to a former Russian central bank advisor. Recommended Video A telltale sign is the Kremlin’s abandonment of any fiscal discipline as the costs of fighting the Ukraine war, which is now in its fifth year, strain existing resources. Alexandra Prokopenko, who is now a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, pointed out in a recent Financial Times op-ed that the war has forced Russia to unwind its long-touted fiscal restraint. In a striking example of the turnaround, Russia’s parliament recently gave the finance ministry a blank check to spend more and borrow past its debt ceiling without a formal budget or explicit legislative approval. That’s as the budget deficit through May is already double 2025’s full-year level, hitting 2.6% of GDP, or about $83 billion. At the same time, Russia’s sovereign wealth fund, which has been tapped to cover budget shortfalls, is being rapidly depleted and just a fraction of prewar levels…

Most Russians Still Back Putin's Ukraine War. A Record Number Also Want ... Putin in 2025 Russian Government Photo Summary and Key Points: There’s no harder place on earth to take an honest poll than wartime Russia. Answers come wrapped in fear, censorship, and the instinct to repeat the safe official line — many Russians won’t even give their last names to a Western reporter. Which is why a recent finding from one of Russia’s most respected pollsters carries weight: by one measure, the public’s appetite for continuing the war just hit its lowest point since the invasion began in 2022. But it isn’t simply that Russians have turned against the war, because by another measure, most still haven’t. The Ukraine War: The Difficulties Inherent in Reading Russia Putin in 2019. Image Credit: Creative Commons. Public discourse in Russia may be shifting , but probably toward a wish for the ongoing war in Ukraine to end, rather than souring on the war itself. But public opinion polling in Russia is notoriously difficult. How people respond to polls is filtered through the lens of fear and censorship. Many Russians decline to provide their family names when interviewed by Western media outlets…

Can Russia survive under Putin? - Yetkin Report - Murat Yetkin As of February 2025, Russia under President Vladimir Putin faces a confluence of political, economic, and geopolitical challenges that critically impact its stability and future trajectory. The prolonged conflict in Ukraine, compounded by stringent international sanctions and internal dissent, has intensified scrutiny of Russia’s resilience under Putin’s leadership. As of 2025, Russia under President Vladimir Putin presents a complex interplay of political stability, economic challenges, and societal undercurrents. While the administration maintains strong approval ratings and a firm grip on power, economic pressures and a fragmented opposition pose potential challenges to long-term stability. The relevance of questioning Russia’s survival under Putin lies in these multifaceted dynamics, which will shape the nation’s trajectory in the years to come. The question of Russia’s survival under President Vladimir Putin has gained renewed relevance in 2025 due to a confluence of political, economic, and social factors. As Putin’s tenure extends into its third decade, the nation faces significant challenges that test the res…

A Bitter Consensus: How Russia's Experts Moved From Default Victory ... While Kremlin propagandists continue projecting confidence about the outcome of the war against Ukraine, this spring has brought a marked shift in mood among Russia's expert community. The scenario in which Russia achieves its objectives has ceased to be their default assumption. It appears that Kremlin-adjacent commentators have sensed a change in the mood of the country’s leadership and, for the first time in four years, have concluded that the destruction of the Ukrainian state is unattainable. Early this year, setbacks began to mount for Russia on several fronts simultaneously. First, the cracks in the Russian economy became impossible to ignore. Russia’s federal budget is deeply out of balance: the deficit planned for 2026 stood at 3.8 tn rubles, yet by the end of April it had already reached nearly 6 tn. The US–Israeli war against Iran pushed oil prices toward $100 a barrel, but that has not been enough to close the gap. Even a full year of fighting in Iran — which Trump is eager to avoid ahead of the midterm elections — would be unlikely to provide Russia with any sustainable solution to its fiscal tr…

Dmitry Medvedev in His Own Words: From Modernizing Liberal to Hateful Hawk | Russia Matters Medvedev, with Putin, at Victory Day celebration, 2012 Dmitry Medvedev in His Own Words: From Modernizing Liberal to Hateful Hawk January 04, 2023 RM Staff When Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped down after a second term in 2008, making way for his protégé Dmitry Medvedev to have a stint in the Kremlin, speculation about which man was genuinely in charge became something of a sport. Now that Putin once more faces the constitutionally mandated end of his presidential term in 2024, there’s a new question: Will Medvedev again be in the running as a potential successor? Two years into Medvedev’s first and only presidential term, U.S. diplomats had no doubt that Putin—appointed prime minister as soon as Medvedev had taken office—was the main man in "Russia's bicephalous ruling format." While the arrangement lasted, Medvedev played up his credentials as a liberal and was routinely referred to as such in the West. He sang the praises of personal freedoms and claimed that “trying to curtail press freedom is a totally hopeless thing to do.” He said Russia’s long-term goal was modernization and…

What Does Putin Promise Russians? Russia's Authoritarian Social Policy Orbis . 2020 Jul 1;64(3):390–402. doi: 10.1016/j.orbis.2020.05.003 What Does Putin Promise Russians? Russia's Authoritarian Social Policy Sarah Wilson Sokhey Sarah Wilson Sokhey 1 Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is also an Associate Fellow at the International Center for the Study of Institutions and Development at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, Russia, and the author of The Political Economy of Pension Policy Reversal in Post-Communist Countries (Cambridge University Press, 2017) Find articles by Sarah Wilson Sokhey 1 Author information Article notes Copyright and License information 1 Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is also an Associate Fellow at the International Center for the Study of Institutions and Development at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow, Russia, and the author of The Political Economy of Pension Policy Reversal in Post-Communist Countries (Cambridge University Press, 2017) Accepted 2020 May 25; Issue date 2020. . Since January 2020 Elsevi…

A country for old men: What's happening to Nikolai Patrushev's protégés ... 1.5K This past May, Vladimir Putin removed longtime confidante Nikolai Patrushev from his role as secretary of the Security Council and made him an “advisor for shipbuilding.” Many anticipated that a shift among Russia’s power clans would follow. The expectation was particularly strong given the fact that the generation of generals linked to Rosneft chief Igor Sechin was nearing retirement. However, six months later, despite several major failures and corruption scandals, the “Patrushevites” have kept their seats in influential positions within the security services — including at the FSB, where Alexander Bortnikov remains in charge. The Insider has assembled a brief overview of the internal FSB power struggles and the structure of Patrushev’s clan. After the Mar. 22 terror attack at Moscow’s Crocus City Hall, an event that resulted in 145 deaths and 551 injuries just five days after voting had ended in Russia’s most recent presidential election, many thought that 72-year-old FSB chief Alexander Bortnikov would soon be parted from his position. Bortnikov’s resignation seemed inevitable, as multiple operati…

In Russia, the Public Mood Is Souring - Carnegie Endowment for ... Source: Getty The Russian regime is now visibly motivated by fear. Something in the air has changed in Russia. Now even loyalists complain about the mounting restrictions and repression, and once-upbeat businesspeople are now despondent. What we are witnessing is three related processes. First, attitudes toward President Vladimir Putin are changing. Second, economic optimism and the associated everyday patriotism, which celebrates survival rather than development (people are simply grateful to be alive) are fading. And finally, Russian people are realizing the impossibility of winning a war that has minimized their country’s advantages. Preparations for Moscow’s annual Victory Day parade on May 9 marking the end of World War II are markedly different this year. In previous years, rehearsals began in April. This year, the parade is being held without rehearsals or military hardware, and with only a small number of personnel. Most importantly, Putin will spend less time up on an exposed public tribune in Red Square at a time known well in advance. The security implications are clear. A military parade is intended…

Russia-Ukraine War: Putin's Fear of an Economic Crisis Offers Sanctions ... Analysis Putin’s Fear of a Humiliating Economic Crisis Greater sanctions pressure could finally bring Moscow to the negotiating table. An illustrated portrait of Agathe Demarais Agathe Demarais By Agathe Demarais , a columnist at Foreign Policy and a senior policy fellow on geoeconomics and technology at the European Council on Foreign Relations. Long line of cars at Russian gas station A line of cars waits for fuel at a gas station in Vladivostok, Russia, on Aug. 22. REUTERS/Tatiana Meel Russia Ukraine Agathe Demarais September 4, 2025, 11:36 AM Russia’s War in Ukraine Understanding the conflict four years on. More on this topic No one knows what Russian President Vladimir Putin was hoping to achieve when he embarked on a nine-hour flight from Moscow to Alaska to meet U.S. President Donald Trump last month. But it’s a safe bet that he was looking to avoid the additional sanctions on the Russian economy that Trump had vaguely threatened a number of times—and perhaps get relief from existing sanctions or even some lucrative U.S. investment deals. Putin has every reason to seek a lifeline for the Russian eco…

Russia: Putin reappoints Mikhail Mishustin as prime minister | AP News Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, speaks to Mikhail Mishustin, the candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 10, 2024. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin listens to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 10, 2024. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) In this photo released by The State Duma, Lower House of the Russian Parliament Press Service, Russian acting Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin addresses the State Duma, Lower House of the Russian Parliament in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 10, 2024. (The State Duma, Lower House of the Russian Parliament Press Service via AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, listens to Mikhail Mishustin, the candidate for the post of Russian Prime Minister during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Friday, May 10, 2024. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, esco…

What’s Eating ‘Putin’s Brain’? - The Atlantic Listen − 1.0 x + Seek 0:00 10:31 Sign up for our newsletter about national security here . N o Russian thinker has worked harder than Aleksandr Dugin to rationalize the invasion of Ukraine. Long before it started, Dugin came up with a whole philosophical system, known as “neo-Eurasianism,” to explain why Russia, the country with the largest landmass in the world, would need to steal land from its neighbors and kill many thousands of people in the process. His books and lectures on the subject earned him the nickname “Putin’s brain.” That overstates his closeness to the Russian president. But his views reflect the mood among the war’s cheerleaders in Moscow, how firmly they support the conflict, and how they try to justify it to themselves (and everyone else). Judging by Dugin’s most recent pronouncements, they have run out of cogent stories to tell. When Dugin attempted to explain the war’s rationale last week to Ksenia Sobchak, a Russian social-media influencer with millions of followers, he could not make any sense of it. Even a softball question—“What is worth fighting for today?”—led the philosopher down a spiral of inanity so biza…

Russia under Vladimir Putin: His 26-year rule in facts and figures Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has been President of the Russian Federation since 31 December 1999, except for a brief four-year interlude from 2008 to 2012 during which he held the office of prime minister but effectively maintained his political authority. During Putin's 26-year rule, Russia has been at war, overtly or covertly, for 21 years. Putin's first term coincided with the launching of the Second Chechen War, intended to be brief but which lasted for 10 violent years. In 2014, during Putin's third term, Russia invaded and annexed Crimea, and the initially covert support to the separatist forces in eastern Ukraine gradually became overt, leading up to the full-scale invasion of February 2022. Overlapping with these two armed conflicts, the Russo-Georgian War took place in 2008, and since 2015 Russia has deployed military forces in Syria. Russian paramilitary groups have also expanded operations in Africa. The transformation of Russia over these 26 years has been fundamental. A series of indicators can help measure its economic evolution, the surge in military expenditure, its demographic decline, the worsenin…

Russia's Managed Succession: Signs of an Approaching Power Transit Posted in Corruption Democracy Governance October 17, 2025 Russia Prepares for a Managed Transit of Power Preparations for a controlled transition of power are underway in Russia — a process that has been in planning since as early as 2020 . Indicators typical of large-scale personnel reshuffles, reminiscent of the Soviet era, suggest that the Kremlin has entered the implementation phase. More on this story: Presidential election in Russia likely to trigger violent transit of power More on this story: Reasons and indicators for political shifts in Russia More on this story: The Kremlin power reshuffle amid the war in Ukraine and Putin’s disease Media outlets noted a significant gathering on October 13 , involving members of the Russian government, security bloc leadership, and high-ranking officials at the Radisson Collection Hotel in Moscow , organized for the birthday of Dmitry Patrushev , the son of Nikolai Patrushev , Secretary of the Russian Security Council. The level of attention paid to this event likely reflects Dmitry Patrushev’s selection as a potential successor to the presidency . On that date, Dmitry …

Moscow Worried by Rise of Pan-Turkism Across Central Asia 04.28.2026Paul Goble Executive Summary: Pan-Turkism is on the rise in Central Asia. Azerbaijan is now taking part in regional cooperation efforts, tilting the balance toward the Turkic peoples and opening a new bridge to Türkiye (see EDM,March 6, 2024,November 20, 2025,February 11,April 16;X/@HikmetHajiyev, November 16, 2025;Window on Eurasia, November 22, 2025;Kommersant, December 25, 2025;Russian International Affairs Council, April 21). Moscow is alarmed because this trend makes it more difficult than ever for it or anyone else—including new competitors such as the People’s Republic of China, against whom some Central Asians are already using pan-Turkist ideas—to play the divide-and-rule politics outsiders with aspirations to dominate that region have long deployed (Window on Eurasia, March 10, 2019;Sakh.online, November 1, 2025). In the short term, what Russians are again calling pan-Turkism, however, is far more likely to be about promoting unity among Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan than about Turkish dominance—although this is certainly taking place—or even to serve in the more distant future, as Russian com…

In Russia, Putin Sees Something Not Seen In Years: A Notable Drop In ... Share Share Maybe it’s the widespread state-ordered mobile Internet outages that have disrupted the lives of millions of Russians, in Moscow above all.Maybe it’s the Ukrainian drone attacks that have disrupted Russians’ flight plans andseverely curtailed Russian oil exports in the Baltic Sea.Maybe it’s themass culling of infected livestockthat has sparked howls of outrage from farmers in Siberia. Maybe it’s the all-out war on Ukraine, which, despite Kremlin promises of swift victory, rages on in its fifth year, with Kyiv’s forces holding Russia to a near stalemate and Moscow’s war dead and wounded topping 1.2 million. Regardless of the reason, the fact is: Russian President Vladimir Putin is not as popular as he used to be. In recent weeks, a series of public opinion surveys -- including two conducted by state-linked pollsters -- have registered a decline in support for Putin.FOM, whose main customer is the Presidential Administration, a powerful policy-making body within the Kremlin, recorded the lowest level of public trust in Putin since September 2022. The drop in approval ratings does not signal a …

Russian Force Generation Update, May 21, 2025 | ISW Previous Next Russian Force Generation and Technological Adaptations Update, May 21, 2025 Nicole Wolkov, Kateryna Stepanenko, Tetiana Trach, and Jennie Olmsted May 21, 2025, 9:30am ET Note: The data cut-off for this product was 12pm ET on May 19. ISW will cover subsequent reports in the May 28 Russian Force Generation and Technological Adaptations Report. Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to prioritize leveraging migrants to mitigate ongoing labor shortages, despite ongoing complaints from Russian ultranationalists advocating for the Kremlin to impose harsher restrictions on migrants. Putin on April 28 extended the deadline for migrants who entered Russia illegally to apply for legal status or leave Russia from April 30 to September 10, 2025. Putin initially signed the decree setting the deadline on December 30, 2024. [1] Migrants can obtain legal status by submitting to a series of health screenings; passing a Russian language, history, and legal exams; and paying off all debts, or by signing a military service contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD). Russia is reportedly suffering a labor shortage of 1.5 mi…

Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know - Dmitry Medvedev Proposes Absurdist ... In brief:The Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council dismissed Zelensky’s peace plan and the offer of a Swiss-hosted peace conference with an unrestrained over-the-top counterproposal. DmitryMedvedevharangued Western countries in aTelegram poston Thursday for what he calls, their wholesale, unquestioning support for President VolodymyrZelensky’s ten-point peace formula. Included in Zelensky’s ten-point peace formula are calls for the restoration of Ukraine’s 1991 borders, the provision of assurances on radiological, energy and food security, the freeing of prisoners and deportees, and the payment of reparations by Moscow. Follow our coverage of the war on the@Kyivpost_official. Medvedev, the former Russian president, prime minister, and current deputy chairman of Moscow’s security council, often makes outrageously bizarre comments seen as either pandering to hawkish public opinion inside Russia or saying what President Vladimir Putin is more reluctant to say – such as his oft-used saber-rattling blatant nuclear threats – in order to “feel out” international reaction. Medvedev contends that the “confl…

Russia is facing a spring of discontent – and Putin is ... - CNN Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives for a meeting in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday. Maxim Shipenkov/Pool/Reuters Russia War in Ukraine Media See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow Four years after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia is facing a spring of discontent. Rolling digital blackouts in Russian cities have touched a nerve with ordinary citizens and public pushback against Russian President Vladimir Putin is emerging. Russia has weathered wartime economic pain while its security services keep protests in check. And the conflict in the Middle East has given Russia’s war effort an unexpected boost through higher oil prices. Nonetheless, Russia’s repressive apparatus of state now appears to be shifting into high gear. In recent weeks, law-enforcement authorities have launched a new round of high-profile political arrests and raids. And in parallel, the Russian government has been resurrecting the ghosts of the Soviet past. The most recent example: On Tuesday, officials from Russia’s Investigative Committee raided the offices of one of Russia’s largest publishers and detain…

Russian Attitudes Are Shifting as the War's Effects Come Home Photo: Alexander NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images Commentary byMaria SnegovayaandJade McGlynn Published July 7, 2026 Since 2022, the Kremlin has sought to “normalize” its war against Ukraine and insulate ordinary Russians from its costs. In recent months, however, Ukraine has increasingly brought the war to Russia through asetofattackson refineries, other energy infrastructure, and transport hubs that have caused flight delays, airport closures, and, more recently, worsening fuel shortages. If this shift radically alters Russians’ attitudes toward the war, it could mark a key turning point. To that end, this analysis examines how Russians have responded to major shocks over the past four years. Divisions within the pro-war camp complicate the picture. There are broadlytwo pro-Kremlin groups: “hawks” and “loyalists.” Hawks, which constitute about 15 percent, are more ideologically driven, want more decisive military action, and think Russian President Vladimir Putin is too cautious in foreign policy. They are more likely to rally around the flag in response to military shocks. The other group, the loyali…

Russia experts question continued eastern border closure Western observers are too quick to predict the collapse of Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin , according to two independent Russia experts interviewed by Yle, neither of whom is sympathetic to the Kremlin. Arkady Moshes , who heads the Russia, Eastern Europe and Eurasia programme at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA), argued that Russia's political system is evolving further in a totalitarian direction. Dan Storyjev , a Russian-American who worked for years at OVD-Info, a Russian rights group, offered a similar assessment. Finland needs to understand Russia better, Dan Storyjev argues: Both told Yle that a genuine collapse is a distant prospect. "The Soviet Union collapsed. The economic system fell apart, the political system changed, and in some regions, civil war broke out. None of that is happening in today's Russia," Storyjev said. Both experts argued that Western countries, and Finland in particular, need to improve their understanding of Russia. A commonly cited view in Finland and elsewhere is that Russia is heading for an economic crisis. Arkady Moshes said this is not the case. While Russia…

GIFT "The shift in military standing is real, if oversold. And winning the information war has consequences. On June 26th the Russian-appointed head of Crimea declared a state of emergency. Russian nationalists are demanding Mr Putin respond." www.economist.com/europe/2026/...

Angry Russians turn on Putin over poverty and economy during press ... Russian frustrations cut through a meticulously controlled marathon press conference delivered by Vladimir Putin on Friday, revealing the hardships facing ordinary people. The 73-year-old president delivered his customary end-of-year address, fielding questions from a public grappling with a stagnant economy, squeezed by international sanctions after almost four years of relentless war with Ukraine . It comes after the European Union agreed to offer Ukraine a massive €90bn (£79bn) interest-free loan to fund most of Volodymyr Zelensky ’s military needs for the next two years . EU leaders were unable to agree on a plan to use £185bn of Russian assets, an idea that Putin lashed out at as being akin to “daylight robbery” and the work of “burglars”. But tensions were palpable within Russia , with the state of the economy at the top of the agenda. open image in gallery Vladimir Putin’s ‘rigidity’ gives a rare glimpse of the unease beneath a meticulously crafted persona, say experts ( CNN ) One medical student expressed her concerns about starting a family when the “salaries of young experts is not great, and that doe…

Putin finally admits Russia's economy is in trouble and ... - Fortune Russian President Vladimir Putin made his concerns about the economy public as he vented frustration at aides and demanded they come up with solutions. Recommended Video During a televised meeting on the economy Wednesday, he revealed that GDP shrank by combined 1.8% in January and February, adding that manufacturing, industrial production, and construction were negative. “I expect to hear detailed reports today on the current economic situation and why the trajectory of macroeconomic indicators is currently below expectations,” Putin said. “Moreover, below the expectations of not only experts and analysts, but also the forecasts of the government itself and the central bank of Russia.” The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Kremlin Deputy Chief of Staff Maxim Oreshkin, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina, and ​the CEO of PSB ​bank. Russia’s economy had already been slowing down as Putin’s war on Ukraine continues to keep inflation high and the labor market tight. An economic contraction would be the fir…

'Collapse is Inevitable': The Case for Why Putin's Russia Is Doomed Putin in October 2024 Kremlin. Image Credit: Russian Government. Key Points and Summary – A fierce debate is raging among experts about the future of Russia. Strained by over three years of war in Ukraine, massive casualties, and a crippled economy, some analysts argue the country’s collapse is “inevitable.” -They point to deep internal rot—from a demographic crisis to rampant corruption—and believe the Putin regime is fragile and breaking down from within. -However, other experts caution that this is dangerous “wishful thinking.” -They argue that Putin has learned from the mistakes that led to the Soviet Union’s collapse and that Western policy should not be based on the assumption that lightning will strike twice. Russia’s Fate: Collapse? There are many reasons to think things are turning bad for Russia . In its war in Ukraine, Russia has sustained major casualties , with Ukraine and Western intelligence agencies placing the casualty count at over 1 million. Russia continues to absorb crippling Western sanctions, as well as experiencing a demographic crisis that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s strongest effor…

'I'm tired of living in hell' Appealing to Putin for relief from ... June 2, 2025 veth ‘I’m tired of living in hell’ Appealing to Putin for relief from pollution and unsafe housing, Russians find themselves under investigation instead 7:16 pm, May 26, 2025 Source: Okno Sean Gallup / Getty Images Across the country, Russians frustrated by factory emissions, dilapidated housing, and pollution are turning to the president for help. After their complaints to prosecutors, local officials, and police go unanswered, they record public video appeals to Vladimir Putin — hoping someone in power will finally listen. But instead of holding polluters and officials accountable, the Russian authorities go after the people who speak out — summoning them for questioning, fining them, and pressing criminal charges. The independent Okno project looked into just what happens when ordinary Russians go public with their grievances. Meduza shares an abridged English-language version of their findings. On May 23, Anastasia Sholokhova from Bratsk, a city in Russia’s Irkutsk region, was fined 35,000 rubles (over $400) for “discrediting” the Russian army. The penalty stemmed from a video she appeared in alo…

Putin's 2025 Address and Russia's Military and Economy This report analyses President Vladimir Putin’s “Results of the Year” address, delivered on December 19, 2025. This investigation assesses the strategic objectives and communication effectiveness of the 2025 Russian presidential year-end address. Its goal is to decode the Kremlin’s intended communications to domestic audiences, the “Global South,” and Western adversaries concerning military progress, economic viability, and the establishment of the “wartime normal.” The analysis synthesises official Kremlin rhetoric, Russian Ministry of Finance data, and independent field reports to evaluate Russia’s strategic posture heading into 2026. President Putin dedicated a substantial portion of his19 December addressto the tactical specifics of the “Special Military Operation” (Kremlin’s term to describe the Ukraine conflict). He specifically highlighted the “strategic initiative” as the defining achievement of late 2025. Tactical Objectives and Claims:Putin concentrated on the “Fortress Belt,” an intensely urbanised defensive line spanning from Sloviansk to Kostiantynivka. He asserted Russian forces had seized 50% of Kostiantyniv…

Hiding Russia's Weakness | ISW Previous Next Hiding Russia’s Weakness The Kremlin is projecting the narrative of a powerful Russia and a powerful Russian President Vladimir Putin to conceal the real weaknesses and limitations of Russia’s capabilities and distract from Russia’s battlefield failures. Putin has long held that the perception of weakness can be lethal in a system built on the premise of strength — a principle that applies to the stability of his regime as well as to Russia’s position in the world.  The world should not take the Kremlin’s displays at face value, but should look past them to the realities of Russia and this war. The Kremlin is trying to portray the 80th Anniversary Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9 as a diplomatic success to present Russia as a superpower and Putin as a respected world leader. The Kremlin boasted that senior leaders and representatives of over 20 foreign countries are attending the parade.[1] The Kremlin media particularly celebrated the attendance of People’s Republic of China (PRC) President Xi Jinping, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.[2] Kremlin media framed Fico’s and Vucic’s parade atten…

How Putin's War in Ukraine Has Ruined Russia - Journal of Democracy In a matter of weeks, the Russian autocrat has erased his country’s prosperity in a feckless attempt to rebuild a doomed empire. By Kathryn Stoner May 2022 T hirty years ago this spring, Russia was at the beginning of what would be a dramatic, although uneven, economic recovery following the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991. At the moment of the Soviet collapse, Russia inherited a budget deficit that was conservatively estimated at 20 percent of GNP, it faced the threat of hyperinflation, economic growth was negative, there were shortages throughout the economy, foreign reserves were virtually nonexistent, and it was racking up a mountain of international loan commitments. The state faced the realistic threat of famine and bankruptcy. In the decades that followed, however, Russia traveled a long way down the road of economic and social modernization. This was partially due to high global prices for its exports. The country also benefited from good macroeconomic policy and the stewardship of Elvira Nabiullina, the smart and surprisingly independent chairwoman of the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) since 2…

Russia's top banker calls on Putin to END Ukraine war in astonishing ... Share on X (Opens in new window) X Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook 1 comment 1 RUSSIA’S most powerful banker has broken ranks to demand Vladimir Putin ends his faltering war in Ukraine. German Gref, 62, said Russians are now fed up with the devastating economic impact of the conflict as he called for a “rapid end of hostilities”. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! 6 German Gref, head of Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank has broken ranks to demand Vladimir Putin ends his faltering war in Ukraine Credit: East2West 6 Moscow was shrouded in apocalyptic black smoke after Ukraine’s biggest attack of the war on the capital targeted the city’s main oil refinery at Kapotnya Credit: East2West Advertisement Gref is the head of the state-controlled Sberbank which ranks as by far the country’s largest financial institution. He has previously held the role of Minister of Economics and Trade of Russia in Putin’s top team. Gref gave a passionate put down of Putin’s gruelling war as he accused the Kremlin of tanking the economy just to avoid a humiliating peace deal. He voiced grave concerns over the con…

Vladimir Putin Is Heading For A Fall - Forbes Business Policy Vladimir Putin Is Heading For A Fall By Melik Kaylan , Contributor. Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Melik Kaylan covered global geostrategic conflicts for three decades Follow Author Jun 29, 2026, 04:45pm EDT --:-- / --:-- This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . Summary Putin faces terminal trouble as Ukrainian drone strikes cripple Crimea's fuel supply, making the Kerch bridge a prime target for an imminent attack. The war's disastrous optics erode his legitimacy, amplified by internal dissent like a viral military blogger's mutiny warning and soldiers threatening officers. Public anger grows over forced conscription and shortages, while historical parallels to past regime changes due to failed wars loom. Elites, fearing for their safety, may mutiny, potentially leading to a civil war among Putin's security forces. Scenarios for his end range from quick assassination to a show trial, with triggers including more Ukrainian attacks, internal unrest, or China withdrawing support. His downfall is predicted within thr…

Russia's Communists Warn of Revolution Risk Amid Economic ... Published byGlobal Banking & Finance Review Posted on April 22, 2026 · Last updated: April 22, 2026 By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW, April 22 (Reuters) - The veteran leader of Russia's Communist Party has warned parliament that the country's faltering economy risks stoking a 1917-style revolution and that the government needs to take urgent measures to correct its course. Gennady Zyuganov, 81, issued his warning to a plenary session of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, ahead of a parliamentary election due in September, according to a recording of his speech posted on the Duma's official website. "We’re doing everything we can to support (President Vladimir) Putin and his strategy and policies, but you (the government) are not listening," he said, in comments made on Tuesday. They drew some applause and were carefully listened to by Vyacheslav Volodin, the Duma speaker and a close Putin ally. Zyuganov said a recent government meeting convened by Putin had been the gloomiest in a long time. "If you (the government) do not urgently adopt financial, economic and other measures, by autumn a repeat of what happe…

In Russia, Clear Signs of War Fatigue - The Nation January 18, 2024 In Russia, Clear Signs of War Fatigue Recent protests by mothers and wives of deployed soldiers are one sign. Stephen Crowley Share Copy Link Facebook X (Twitter) Bluesky Pocket Email The strains of war are clearly visible in Ukraine: Its top military official has called the war a stalemate ; continued funding from both the US and the EU is in doubt,; and manpower for fighting is dwindling. But what about Russia? Despite the claims of many observers that the Kremlin wants to fight a “ long war ,” ample evidence suggests war fatigue is setting in for Russia as well. If so, both sides might have an interest in bringing the war to an end. To be sure, Russia appears to be in a much stronger position. Putin certainly exudes confidence. Numerous observers suggest that Putin must be disabused “of the notion that he can still take control of Ukraine by outlasting the West,” with others claiming that he is “clearly happy to await the outcome of the US election” in the hopes of more favorable terms with a future President Trump. According to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Putin “cannot be satisfied with a limited te…

Putin Vows to Make Russia 'Sovereign, Self-Sufficient Power' By AFP Dec. 17, 2023 Vyacheslav Prokofyev/TASS Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday promised to make Russia a "sovereign, self-sufficient" power in the face of the West, in his first campaign speech before running again for president in a March election. Putin, in power since 2000, will stand for president in March, in a vote with no real opposition that is expected to prolong his rule until at least 2030. The vote will come just over two years since he launched Moscow's Ukraine offensive, prompting huge rounds of Western sanctions on Russia. "We must remember and never forget and tell our children: Russia will be either a sovereign, self-sufficient state, or it will not be there at all," Putin said during a congress of the ruling United Russia party. Putin has said that he will make "sovereignty" — a loosely defined term — one of the key aims of his fifth term in the Kremlin. "We will only make decisions ourselves without foreign tips from abroad," Putin told United Russia members, to applause. "Russia cannot — like some countries — give away its sovereignty for some sausage and become someone's satellite," the 71…

Crisis in the Kremlin: Assassinations, Internal Divisions, and a Regime ... Major internal security crisis EXPOSED in Russia – and it’s worse than we thought. A summary of an X thread by Rod Martin | April 30, 2025 Two high-ranking Russian generals have been assassinated near Moscow in the span of just six months—both killed by remote-controlled car bombs. These brazen attacks, occurring in the heart of Russia’s power structure, point to a disturbing new pattern unfolding under President Vladimir Putin’s watch. The latest killing took place during a U.S. envoy’s meeting with Putin to discuss a potential peace agreement in Ukraine, raising serious questions about timing and intent. Far from coincidence, this appears to be a calculated message to the Kremlin—and, perhaps more critically, a demonstration that the perpetrators can act with impunity. Inside Russia’s leadership, tensions are escalating. A growing split has emerged between two camps: one pushing for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, and another—led by hardliners like former President Dmitry Medvedev—demanding total victory. This divide, largely underreported in Western media, threatens the coherence of Putin’s inne…

Is the tide starting to turn against Putin in Ukraine? ANALYSIS Some experts detect signs of deepening problems for the Russian leader. Is something shifting in Russia? That is the question that close watchers of the Kremlin have been asking for the past couple of weeks. Some well-known analysts and journalists have detected a subtle change in the mood toward Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine, now well into its fifth year. There is a sense in Russian society, they write, that Putin seems a little less in control of events, along with a deepening pessimism about the war and growing frustration with the government over the economy and repression, in particular recent drastic restrictions on the internet. “Putin is losing his magic,” Alexander Baunov, a prominent political thinker,wrote recentlyin an essay for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “Victors are not judged, the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin liked to say. But non-victors can be – and people are beginning to judge Putin.” The shift was illustrated by Russia’s annual Victory Day celebrations on May 9, when Putin historically presides over a military parade on Red Square. The event, marking the Soviet tri…

Rising tensions within Russia's ruling elite: a mounting challenge ... - OSW OSW Commentary 2026-05-18 Rising tensions within Russia’s ruling elite: a mounting challenge for the Kremlin Maria Domańska Text in PDF 606.49 KB Source: kremlin.ru In early May 2026, Western media reported that Vladimir Putin’s position within Russia’s power structure had weakened significantly and that plans for his removal were allegedly taking shape within the ruling elite. Adverse trends affecting the Kremlin have been intensifying in Russia across several domains: economic (deteriorating macroeconomic performance), financial (a widening budget deficit), social (declining public support for Putin and his policies), and military and security (the Russian military’s failure to break through the front line and intensifying Ukrainian attacks deep inside Russian territory). Discontent with the Kremlin’s policy is growing among the country’s political and business elites, driven by a gradual shift in the balance of costs and benefits associated with maintaining the current regime. Although signs of systemic erosion are mounting, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that a crisis of power or an elite r…

Some Russians break with Putin as Ukraine war drags on - PBS 6/18/2026 | 26m 46sVideo hasClosed Captions|CC Why some Russians are breaking with Putin as Ukraine war drags on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s iron grip on power is being challenged by the war in Ukraine and his government’s authoritarian crackdowns. He finds himself in unfamiliar political territory, questioned by some of the country’s elite and embarrassed by Ukraine’s strikes into Russian cities. Compass Points moderator Nick Schifrin discusses the state of Russian politics with Arkady Ostrovsky. 06/18/2026 Problems playing video?Report a Problem|Closed Captioning Feedback Before you submit an error, please consult ourVideo Help page. Problems playing video?Report a Problem|Closed Captioning Feedback Before you submit an error, please consult ourVideo Help page. 6/18/2026 | 26m 46sVideo hasClosed Captions|CC Russian President Vladimir Putin’s iron grip on power is being challenged by the war in Ukraine and his government’s authoritarian crackdowns. He finds himself in unfamiliar political territory, questioned by some of the country’s elite and embarrassed by Ukraine’s strikes into Russian cities. Compas…

Putin Is Slipping Into Delusion - The Atlantic W hen things get dicey in Moscow, Vladimir Putin tends to drop out of sight for a while, retreating to one of his residences and canceling public events. Only his closest aides know how he spends his time during these absences, which can go on for days even in the middle of a national crisis. The Kremlin does its best to fill the vacant airtime on state TV with pretaped footage of the president, waiting for him to reemerge and declare that everything remains under his control. Since the end of last year, when Ukraine intensified its campaign of drone and missile strikes on Russian cities, Putin has taken a few of these breaks. Two of them lasted for more than a week. He has mostly avoided talking about the Ukrainian strikes, even as they caused fuel shortages across Russia, destroyed infrastructure, and shattered the sense of stability that Putin offers his people in exchange for their loyalty. His first detailed response to the threat came on Monday, and he did his best to seem unmoved. In a carefully scripted interview on state TV, Putin looked bored with the details of governing Russia and managing the frustrations of his citizens,…

Putin's Two Pillars of Russian Resilience Are Crumbling ... By Newsweek Editors 0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Ukraine launched on June 18 what Russian officials described as the largest drone assault on Moscow since the start of the full-scale war, sending black smoke over the southeastern Kapotnya district and striking the capital’s main oil refinery for the second time in a week. The arresting images were a snapshot of a quieter strategic shift: two assets that have underwritten Vladimir Putin’s wartime endurance are being squeezed at the same moment. For most of the war, two pillars have done the heavy lifting, one black, one glistening. Oil keeps cash flowing into the treasury. Gold offers an escape hatch from a dollar system the West has turned into a weapon. Read More on Analysis Now, Ukrainian drones are battering the physical infrastructure behind the first while financial markets deflate the value of the second. Brent crude has dropped roughly a quarter in a month to the mid-$70s, and Urals—the grade Russia actually sells—has fallen…

What the Papers Say, Nov. 26, 2013 - The Moscow Times By The Moscow Times Nov. 26, 2013 Kommersant 1. Andrei Kolesnikov article headlined "Meeting of Pope with Our Lady of Vladimir" reports on President Vladimir Putin's meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican, where the Russian leader presented a rare icon to Pope Francis. The situation in Syria was on the agenda of their talks; pp 1, 8 (708 words). 2. Kirill Melnikov article headlined "Monopolies found non-athletic" says that Federation Council members want Russian monopolies to be barred from financing professional sports. The relevant bill has already been submitted to the State Duma. Experts, however, doubt that the bill will be passed; pp 1, 12 (861 words). 3. Yekaterina Gerashchenko et al. report headlined "Suleiman Kerimov passes his PIK" says billionaire Suleiman Kerimov is selling his stake in the PIK developer group to former senator Sergei Gordeyev for $599 million; pp 1, 13 (664 words). 4. Pavel Belavin article headlined "The Pirate Bay founder attacks Stalingrad" says the founder of the Pirate Bay torrent resource, Gottfrid Warg, has been sued in Russia over illegal distribution of the film "Stalingrad" and the serie…

Leadership Change in Russia - Council on Foreign Relations Council on Foreign Relations Report Share Table of Contents Share Introduction Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President Vladimir Putin looked set to stay in power for as long as he wanted. Under a series of constitutional amendments passed in 2020, he can stay in office until 2036, when he will be eighty-three years old. However, the war against Ukraine has turned into a stress test for Russia’s leadership and regime stability. The Kremlin has stabilized the political system after the mutiny of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the now-deceased leader of the private military company Wagner Group, and Putin remains popular (to the extent that approval ratings are meaningful in an autocratic society). However, internal Russian elite politics and competition are difficult to decipher from the outside and can lead to unexpected outcomes and surprising reshuffles. The Kremlin could be hoping to outlast U.S. and Western support for Ukraine, which appears less steadfast than once assumed, and to relieve internal pressure by presenting the war as turning its way. Yet domestic tensions are unlikely to disappear. The Russian…

Another wave of public outcry tests Putin's rule | AP News Victoria Bonya poses for photographers upon arrival at the amfAR gala at the Arsenale di Venezia, in Venice, Italy, on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP, File) Passengers look at their smartphones in the subway in Moscow, Feb. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File) Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a videoconference cabinet meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Thursday, April 23, 2026. (Alexander Kazakov/Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File) A woman holding her smartphone leaves Red Square in Moscow, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File) FILE- A customer buys bread at the Mashenka bakery outside Moscow, Russia, on Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File) Some Russian influencers recently released public appeals toPresident Vladimir Putin, criticizing his government and policies, and a number of his loyalists even threatened a revolt — the latest wave of public outcry over the country’sstrained wartime economyand mountinginternet restrictions. While none of this dissent indicates an imminent threat to Putin’s rule, analysts say it presen…

Putin lauds the strength of Russia's war economy. Others see a ... - CNN Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a press conference in Moscow, January 17, 2025. Evgenia Novozhenina/Pool/AFP/Getty Images Russia War in Ukraine Interest rates Investing See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow Since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia’s economy has surpassed expectations. Its figures are, if not rosy, not ruinous either. Last year, the war economy likely grew faster than the United States and all major European economies. Unemployment is at a record low. And if the ballooning defense budget has cramped other spending, that’s only temporary. These statistics send a message to audiences at home and abroad, said Elina Ribakova, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. To the Russian public: “We’re still standing.” To Ukraine’s allies: “We can outlast you.” Projecting an image of Russia’s economic strength has real-world consequences. Some in the West have questioned whether the sanctions imposed by Ukraine’s backers – and dismissed by President Vladimir Putin as mere “logistical hurdles” – work at all. If they d…

Russia To Host High-Level CSTO Meeting Amid Alliance Tensions Business Aerospace & Defense Russia To Host High-Level CSTO Meeting Amid Alliance Tensions By Mark Temnycky , Senior Contributor. Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Mark Temnycky is a freelance writer focused on defense and energy Follow Author May 10, 2026, 06:00am EDT BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN - NOVEMBER 27: L-R: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization Imangali Tasmagambetov pose for a group photo during Collective Security Treaty Organization, on November 27, 2025 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Vladimir Putin makes a three-day state visit to the Kyrgyz Republic. During his stay he takes part in a regular session of the Collective Security Council of the Summit of Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO). Putin will also hold talks with President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov to discuss development of the strategic partnership and allied relationship between Russia and Kyrgyzstan. (Photo by…

The men who could succeed Vladimir Putin - The Week At 72, Putin is entering the twilight of his life after dominating Russian politics for 24 years (Image credit: Illustrated / Getty Images) Jump to category: Mikhail Mishustin Sergei Sobyanin Dmitry Medvedev Sergei Kiriyenko Alexei Dyumin Quizzes by The Week Nikolai Patrushev Other possibilities Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Whatsapp Pinterest Share this article Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Throughout history, starting and then losing unprovoked wars has been a reliable way for dictators to forfeit their grip on power, either at the vengeful hands of the countries they targeted, via palace coups by disgruntled elites or occasionally even through uprisings by ordinary citizens weary of making sacrifices for a tyrant's deadly delusions. Within days of losing the Falklands Islands War to the United Kingdom in 1982, Argentina 's General Leopoldo Galtieri, the leader of the embattled military junta that had launched the war to head off popular demands for new elections, resigned his office and started the process of restoring democracy. To say that …

Tuesday briefing: With unease at home spreading, what next for Russia’s isolated leader? <p>In today’s newsletter: Our Russian affairs reporter on Vladimir Putin’s slipping approval and singular goal – as discontent ripples from wider society to the reachers of the Kremlin</p><p>Good morning. There is little doubt that when Vladimir Putin ordered his invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he did not expect his troops to still be embroiled there in 2026. And he surely never envisaged a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/09/russia-putin-moscow-victory-day-parade-scaled-back">scaled-down victory parade</a> in Moscow, stripped of military hardware, for fear of Ukrainian drone attacks on his own capital.</p><p>Putin has survived dangerous moments before, but with the Russian economy stuttering, his popularity is waning – not only with the public but also with the elites who have underpinned his regime for decades. An undoubted master of survival, the unwritten contract the president has with the Russian people is starting to fray.</p><p><em><strong>Middle East </strong></em>| The US has launched strikes on southern Iran <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/26/us-s…

Kremlin plans for post-war future, including new Russian State Duma in ... The Kremlin is planning for life after the war, with the new Russian State Duma, set to be elected in fall 2026, already being seen as a "post-war" body, Russian outlet Faridaily reported on March 6. The 2026 Russian State Duma convocation "is already being conceived in the Kremlin as a post-war one," according to sources. “It will be very different from the current one,” the report claims. Read also: Russia’s oil and gas revenues plummet, budget shortfall reaches billions About a quarter of the new deputies, or 100 out of 450, are expected to be elected from among those involved in the war against Ukraine. Ad Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that the military should become the "real elite" of Russia. The order to appoint war veterans to government positions is reportedly coming directly from him, the publication notes. Read also: Zelenskyy reveals volunteers were at hotel in Kryvyi Rih before Russian strike A deputy who spoke with the outlet said that "electing" war veterans to the State Duma is the easiest way to showcase their integration into the “powerless representative government.” Candidates bac…

As the Tide Turns Against Putin, Beware the Drowning Man Essay As the Tide Turns Against Putin, Beware the Drowning Man Like a struggling swimmer, he may take desperate measures to stay afloat. June 25, 2026, 4:16 PM By Peter Frankopan , a professor of global history at the University of Oxford. An illustration depicting a man submerged up to his nose in water. The wavy water is divided horizontally into three color bands that mimic a flag: white foam at the very top peaks, a deep blue middle section filled with bubbles, and a red lower section covering his neck and suit jacket. His blue eyes look upward with a wide, strained expression. Chloe Cushman illustration for Foreign Policy NATO Russia Ukraine Russia’s War in Ukraine Understanding the conflict four years on. More on this topic Welcome to FP Free Week. To celebrate America’s 250th birthday, our entire site is completely unlocked this week only. Enjoy the article. These are tricky times for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The “special military operation” he launched against Ukraine in 2022, intended to last a few days until a puppet regime in Kyiv could be installed, has now gone on longer than both the Soviet fight again…

The Kremlin's Expanding Media Conglomerate 2026 | ISW Previous Next The Kremlin’s Expanding Media Conglomerate 2026 The Kremlin is expanding its global media conglomerate to shape the global narrative for years to come. The Kremlin has been cultivating a network of foreign media outlets, content creators, and journalists by forming partnerships, conducting outreach, and fostering media education across the globe. The Kremlin is building access and placement within foreign media alongside a global cadre of Russia-trained journalists to disseminate its narratives across regions and for decades. The media conglomerate is a key infrastructure pillar of Russia’s cognitive warfare effort. Russia uses cognitive warfare to shape Western decision-making, preserve Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime, and mask Russia’s weaknesses.[1] This paper expands on the assessment ISW published in 2020, as the Kremlin has evolved its efforts to expand its media conglomerate since the publication of that assessment. The expansion of the Russian media access is not inevitable as the Kremlin faces setbacks in its effort to preserve and form media partnerships. The United States and other countries c…

Russia's economy after four years of war | The Bell Hello! Welcome to your weekly guide to the Russian economy, written by Alexandra Prokopenko and Alexander Kolyandr and brought to you by The Bell. Ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s invasion on February 24, we analyze the irreversible changes the Russian economy has gone through in the four years of the war. Russia’s economy is unrecognizable from before the invasion. It might never go back When Russia invaded, Western countries imposed sanctions that had previously been unimaginable. Many people, both inside Russia and abroad, expected a rapid economic collapse. That did not happen. The economy did not collapse. But it changed in a way that appears to be completely irreversible. As the war enters its fifth year, the authorities continue to maintain an illusion of normalcy. Packed restaurants serve sanctioned wine, Russians fly on vacation to Turkey and Thailand, couriers deliver consumer goods to apartment blocks around the clock. At first glance, life goes on. But such normalcy is becoming increasingly expensive. And we’re not talking only about record military spending or rising prices. Over the past four years, the very fab…

Putin's Crimea Trap: 5 Scenarios - Newsweek ... By Newsweek Editors 0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. From a jewel in Vladimir Putin’s imperial crown to a thorn in his side, the 2014 conquest of Crimea is coming back to haunt him as Russia’s war in Ukraine falters. Russian-installed authorities in Crimea declared an “emergency situation” on June 26, after Ukrainian attacks helped produce fuel shortages, power cuts and restrictions on civilian life across the occupied Black Sea peninsula. Civilian gasoline sales had already been suspended, with Sergey Aksyonov, the Kremlin-appointed head of Crimea, saying fuel would go only to government agencies. Putin then acknowledged a fuel deficit in Russia, while promising more air defenses, more repairs, and more deliveries to Crimea, which hosts Russia’s only warm-water naval base. Kyiv still seeks to retake Crimea from Russia, a goal many Western analysts see as unattainable for Ukraine. But Crimea is becoming Putin’s trap: too symbolic to abandon, too exposed to use as he once did, and too costly to nor…