Richard Arnold

Richard Arnold teaches at Muskingum University and is a member of the PONARS network. He is the author of Russian Nationalism and Ethnic Violence: Symbolic Violence, Lynching, Pogrom, and Massacre (Routledge, 2016) and the editor of Russia and the 2018 FIFA World Cup (Routledge, 2021). He has written numerous articles on Russia, including in Problems of Post-Communism, Theoretical Criminology, and Post-Soviet Affairs. His current interests are the connections between sport and politics, Cossack movements in Russia and Ukraine, and far-right activity in Russia.

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Articles by Richard Arnold

All Russian Cossacks Increasingly Resemble Krasnodar Movement

The Russian Cossack movement is emerging as one of the key social pillars supporting the regime, and increasingly it is taking on the mold of Kuban Cossackdom, found in the

Analyst Richard Arnold Interviewed by Vice About Self-Censorship in Russia

Russia expert Richard Arnold was interviewed in a February 25 story for Vice News regarding conscious self-censorship by Russian sports stars and public figures to avoid falling afoul of the

Belarusian Cossacks—An Option for Putin?

Due to certain superficial similarities between the ongoing post-election demonstrations in Belarus and the EuroMaidan protests in Kyiv in 2013–2014, some commentators have speculated about the possibility of “another Crimea”

Northern Ukraine’s Vulnerable Sumy Oblast: Covert Russian Links and Cossack Threats

With Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings taking a massive hit as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic, resulting economic crisis and his government’s bungled response, the Kremlin is

Russian Special Services Employ Cossacks, Ukrainian Religious Institutions Against Kyiv

For as long as official cases of COVID-19 have remained manageable inside the Russian Federation, Moscow was able to exploit the global coronavirus pandemic to try to pursue various foreign

Russia’s Cossacks Battle Coronavirus and Promote Kremlin’s Foreign Policy

As fears of the COVID-19 pandemic grip much of Russia, the country’s Cossacks have been enlisted to help contain the deadly virus. In the city of Ekaterinburg, Ataman Gennady Kovalev

Kalmyks Protest Donbas Separatist Who Was Appointed Mayor of Republican Capital

Street protests continue against the leader of the Buddhist province of Kalmykia and look set to escalate, with a large demonstration planned for October 27. The protests concern the appointment

Russian-Backed Luhansk Authorities Enlist Help of Local Cossacks

The authorities of the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) are apparently seeking to extend their control over society in this Russian-occupied and Moscow-backed eastern Ukrainian region. As one notable sign

Ukrainian Security Services Arrest Pro-Russia Cossack Cell in Odesa

On May 28, the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) arrested three Ukrainian citizens who staged an explosion in the lobby of a resort hotel in the major Black Sea port

Radicalization of Russian Youth on the Rise

Last year’s October 31 bombing of an Arkhangelsk Federal Security Service (FSB) office (see EDM, November 9, 2018) triggered an investigation, which recently released its final report. The conclusions of

Bombing of Arkhangelsk FSB Office and Rise of Youth Extremism in Modern Russia

At 8:52 in the morning, on October 31, a 17-year old student and self-described anarchist at the local college walked into the Archangelsk field office of the Russian Federal Security

The ‘Russian Columbine’ Shooting in Crimea Highlights Youth Radicalization, Proliferation of Firearms

On October 17, 18-year-old student Vladislav Roslyakov walked into his polytechnic school in the Russian-occupied Crimean town of Kerch, ascended to the second floor of the building and opened fire

Ukraine Eliminating Communist-Era Legacy Names in Dnipropetrovsk

Since the 2014 EuroMaidan revolution, a series of “de-Communization” efforts have been taking place in Ukrainian regions and cities across the country. One of the main streets in the resort

Russia Invites Fringe European Politicians to ‘Observe’ Upcoming Presidential Election

Russia is well-known for having connections to the political far right in Europe, but its links to the European far left are just as firmly established. This was affirmed once

Navalny Launches ‘Voters’ Strikes’ Across Russia

On Sunday, January 28, demonstrations and protests organized by Alexei Navalny shook Russia once again, this time calling for what he has called “Voters’ strike” protests. While Navalny’s website claims

Russian Truckers Declared ‘Foreign Agents’

Following an inspection by the Ministry of Justice, the Russian truckers organization Association of Russian Carriers (Obedinenie Perevozchikov Rossii—OPR) has been declared a “foreign agent.” The organization was originally formed

Angry Krasnodar Farmers Write Open Letter to Putin

The saga continues for farmers in Krasnodar protesting corruption in their region and the unfair distribution of land. The farmers originally planned to caravan to Moscow but were intercepted by

Social Protests in Russia Repeatedly Force Kremlin to Respond

While Russia’s economic woes are usually blamed on a combination of Western sanctions and falling global oil prices, it is worth remembering that some of the country’s economic wounds are

Tatarstani Cossacks Enter Government Service

Although not commonly associated with the Cossacks, the city of Kazan (in the ethnic republic of Tatarstan, historically a Muslim region) played host, in mid-June, to a meeting of the

Cossacks Distribute Aid in Rostov Oblast

As thousands of refugees from Ukraine’s far-eastern Donbas region continue to pour into Russia’s Rostov Oblast (see EDM, June 30), the need for humanitarian aid is intense. One social group

Domestic Pressure on Putin to Intervene in Ukraine Mounts

While the dominant narrative in the West is that President Vladimir Putin is personally responsible for the crisis in Ukraine’s eastern region of Donbas and seeks to use it to

Non-Traditional Threats to Sochi

The recent warning from the US State Department not to wear patriotic clothing outside of the “ring of steel” in Sochi proper might have been thought to forestall an attack

Non-Traditional Threats to Sochi

The recent warning from the US State Department not to wear patriotic clothing outside of the “ring of steel” in Sochi proper might have been thought to forestall an attack

Inadequate Professionalism in the Police Forces Remains a Problem for the Russian State

New recruits to the Russian police will soon undergo mandatory polygraph tests in order to gain admission to the force. The requirement, introduced in June 2012 as part of a

Jamestown’s Richard Arnold cited by Origo

Jamestown analyst Richard Arnold was cited in an article published by Origo about the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

FSB Foils Attempted Assault on 2014 Winter Olympics

With the world’s attention on London in the run-up to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, it is important to bear in mind that the next Olympics in 2014 will be