Russia

Outposts of the Motherland
For decades, an elite university in St. Petersburg sustained Russia’s expertise on the Middle East and its influence abroad. Yet cracks in Russia’s supposed mastery of the region started to show around the turn of the millennium.

Do Svidaniya, Syria
Moscow finds itself in an awkward position, striving to both curtail reputational damage and make inroads with the Syrian rebels, all with the ousted Assads now living under its roof.

Four New Books Attempt To Reckon With Russia’s Recent Past
A growing number of nonfiction books published since the start of the war in Ukraine by journalists, diplomats and other experts seek to document and understand Russia’s descent into full-blown authoritarianism, and how it reached the point where it could launch such a murderous war on its neighbor.

Convicted Murderers Fought in Ukraine and Returned to Russia as Heroes
Russia has recruited convicts to fight in Ukraine. Some of those who made it back alive have become everyday heroes, welcomed with open arms and even celebrated by their country, where absolute loyalty to the motherland is the new moral code by which many Russians live.

Released From Prison, a Russian Anti-War Artist Is Still Working To Free Herself
Unlike seasoned opposition figures in Russia, jailed for their anti-war activism after the Kremlin failed to push them into exile, Alexandra Skochilenko, the once-obscure artist from St. Petersburg, was not at all mentally prepared to spend two years behind bars. Now, she also finds herself ill-prepared for freedom.

Putin Brings America’s Culture Wars to Russians
Putin’s quest to remake Russia into a piously authoritarian society is fueled by Western ideological tropes. At the same time, Russia advertises itself to fellow reactionaries on the right and left in the West as an “anti-woke” Elysium based on “traditions” that didn’t exist until recently.

Navalny’s Future Russia Did Not Include Everyone
At various points, Navalny was a staunch Russian nationalist who engaged in far-right discourse as well as a crusader against Putin’s violent regime. These two facets are not mutually exclusive, and shed light on how he managed to build a dedicated and relatively large base of support.