Vadim Shtepa
Vadim Shtepa is the editor-in-chief of Region.Expert (www.region.expert), the only independent media outlet on Russian regionalism and federalism. He graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University (1992) and Moscow School of Political Studies (2012). He is also an alumnus of the Research Course on American Federalism (University of Missouri, St. Louis, USA, 2013). Mr. Shtepa is the author of three books on the history and philosophy of Russian regionalism, as well as a regular columnist for regional projects of the Russian service of Radio Liberty (Sever.Realii and Sibir.Realii). Since 2015, he has been living in Estonia due to persecution in Russia for his political views.
Contact Vadim Shtepa
Articles by Vadim Shtepa
Russia Cannot Find Peace While Operating as an Empire
Executive Summary: The breakdown of Russian-Ukrainian peace negotiations in Istanbul highlights Moscow’s uncompromising demand to annex four Ukrainian regions. Despite lacking full control, Russia insists on its complete annexation, demonstrating
Militarization of Regional Policy Leads to Decline of Federalism in Russia
Executive Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin has increasingly relied on expansionist, militaristic foreign policy in his 25-year rule to centralize power and justify the dissolution of Russian federalism. Moscow has
The Evolution of Political Survival: from Syria to Russia
Executive Summary: As regimes change, politicians often change their political stances to survive and fit the shifting political climate. This has been seen most recently in Syria following the fall
Ukrainian Drone War Shakes Up Russian Society
Executive Summary: Russia’s war against Ukraine has turned into the first major full-scale drone war, and Ukraine is dominating this aspect of the conflict through its innovation and leadership in
Public Opinion in Russia Falls as Citizens Experience Reality of War
Executive Summary: Despite fear of punishment for voicing opposition and the Kremlin’s aggressive propaganda, public support for its war in Ukraine has waned, especially as those returning from the front
OSCE Declares ‘Decolonization of Russia’ as Necessary for Peace
Executive Summary: The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe declared that the “decolonization of the Russian Federation is a necessary condition for sustainable peace” and that Russia is pursuing
Transition to a ‘Post-Putin’ Russia Threatens to Be Prolonged
Executive Summary: President Vladimir Putin once again installed new governors in several of Russia’s regions, with special focus given to the expected regional response to the appointments in Khabarovsk Krai
Kremlin Fights Non-Existent Global Movement of ‘Anti-Russian Separatists’
Executive Summary: Moscow has proposed legal action to target the “Anti-Russian Separatist Movement,” an organization that, as far as journalists and analysts can deduce, does not exist. The proposal would
Putin Touts Incompatible Contradictions
Executive Summary: The contradictions between Russian President Vladimir Putin's rhetoric and the realities of everyday life in Russia—including the promises of economic and social stability—have become more evident since his
The Russian Opposition After Navalny’s Murder
Executive Summary: Alexei Navalny’s death and the specter of increased hopelessness in Russia’s regions have highlighted growing apathy among the Russian opposition. Supporters of “post-Russia” movements are searching for alternatives
Putin’s Political Machinations Delegitimize Russian Presidential Elections
Executive Summary: Russia is scheduled to hold presidential elections from March 15 to 17, which will predictably result in the reelection of President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin is doing everything
The Struggle to De-imperialize the Russian Psyche
Executive Summary: Some Russian regional governors have established new headquarters to prevent separatism, nationalism, extremism, and mass riots. The creation of these headquarters raises doubts about the Kremlin’s confidence in
Free Ingria Supporters Fight Against Moscow’s Imperial Ideology
On November 15, an important event took place in Latvia involving Russian émigrés. A conference was held for the “Free Ingria” movement, where participants met to collaborate on a plan
Russia Experiencing a New ‘Afghan Syndrome’ With Soldiers Returning From Ukraine
At the end of last year, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that 300,000 military-age men had been drafted into the Russian army following President Vladimir Putin’s declaration of a
License Plate Ban in EU May Alienate Russian Population
In September 2023, all European Union member states bordering Russia introduced an entry ban on cars sporting Russian license plates. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were the first to implement the
United Russia Considering New Focus on Peaceful Regionalism
From September 8 to 10, polls will be open across Russia as part of the annual “single voting day,” during which 26 governors will be elected and 16 regions will
Gaia vs. Leviathan: Why Is Russia at War With the Modern World?
Almost a year and a half of fighting in Ukraine has been cause for deep reflection among independent Russian intellectuals. However, due to a sharp increase in state censorship, it
Putin’s Private Empire
Some outside observers compare today’s Russia with the Soviet Union. But there is a fundamental contradiction between these entities: If the Soviet Union, with its communist ideology, fought against private
The True Lack of Regionalism Explains the Failure of Anti-Kremlin Military Projects
The weekend mutiny launched by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner Group will have numerous wide-ranging consequences that analysts are still trying to sort out. However, more attention should be drawn
Collapse of the Russian Empire’s Main Historical Pillar?
In early April 2023, the authorities in a few Russian regions bordering Ukraine—Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk—decided to refuse to hold the regular military parade in honor of Victory Day on
Can Muscovy Be Considered a ‘State-Civilization’?
On March 31, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved the new Foreign Policy Concept of the Russian Federation (Kremlin.ru, March 31). The previous version had been adopted seven years ago; but
Empire as Catastrophe: A Philosophical Reevaluation of the Russian State
Russia’s war against Ukraine, which has been going on for more than a year, has caused deep reflection among Russian-speaking intellectuals from different countries and has even led them to
The Depopulation of Russian Border Towns Accelerates in the Baltic Sea Region
A common detail ties together the histories of Russia’s three neighboring countries—Latvia, Estonia and Finland. At various times in 1920, all three countries signed peace treaties with Russia, which, at
Why Do Russian Politics Tend Toward Notions of the End Of The World?
In January 2023, Emory University professor Mikhail Epstein published his new book, Russian Anti-World: Politics on the Verge of Apocalypse (Lulu.com, January 26). This is perhaps the most profound philosophical
The Russian Far East Is Becoming a Raw Material Colony for Beijing
On December 21, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin took part, via videoconference, in the commissioning ceremony for the Kovykta gas field, the largest in Eastern Siberia (Kremlin.ru, December 21, 2022).
Never Say Forever: How Russia’s Borders Became Imaginary
Video footage of how enthusiastically the inhabitants of Kherson, with tears of joy, greeted their liberators from the Ukrainian Armed Forces has spread globally (YouTube, November 13). Against this backdrop,
Putin’s Double Standards: A Unitary Empire for a ‘Multipolar World’
Pavel K. Baev, Russian expert and long-time analyst for The Jamestown Foundation, recently described in detail the atmosphere of psychological absurdity that reigned at the recent Valdai Club conference regarding
Russia’s Inside-Out Federation
Many observers have long noted the paradox that the so-called “Russian Federation” is in fact no federation at all. It cannot be compared with well-known federations around the world—such as
Putin Is Anti-Gorbachev
Political scientist Fyodor Krasheninnikov, who emigrated from Russia, noted that the Kremlin did everything to ensure that Mikhail Gorbachev’s funeral was “silent.” No speeches were made in memory of this
Responding to Moscow’s Imperial Revanchism, a “Post-Russia” Forum Is Born
In May 2022, the first Forum of the Free Nations of Russia was held in Warsaw, Poland, and the second was held in Prague, Czech Republic, at the end of
Will the Kremlin Send New ‘Savage Divisions’ to Ukraine?
The Russian full-scale re-invasion against Ukraine, launched in February 2022, was initially explained as the desire for “denazification” of Kyiv. This meant a struggle against the national self-determination of Ukraine,
Can Russia Repeat the ‘Crimea Scenario’ in Ukraine’s Kherson Region?
As a result of its full-scale re-invasion of Ukraine launched on February 24, Russia presently occupies most of Kherson Oblast, a southern region with a million inhabitants that borders on
Is This the Russian Empire’s Last War?
One hundred days into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has effectively “zeroed out” all Russian domestic politics—if politics is to be understood in the classical sense of the term as
Putin Opens Pandora’s Box for Russian Regionalism
At an April 26 meeting in the Kremlin with United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, President Vladimir Putin again defended the “independence” of the Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics” in
Moscow Turns Residents of the Regions Into ‘Cannon Fodder’
By the time news of the Russian re-invasion of Ukraine became known in Moscow in the early morning of February 24, 2022, it was already afternoon in Siberia and the
Kremlin’s War Against Ukraine Divides Russians in the Baltics
Ethnic Russians today compose around a quarter of the population of Estonia and Latvia and about 5 percent in Lithuania. For the most part, these communities are made up of
How New Are the ‘New People’ in Russia’s Parliament?
One of the sensations of the September 17–19 elections in Russia—on the whole absolutely predictable—was the entry of the New People party into the State Duma (lower chamber of parliament).
The Russian Elections and Hidden Regionalist Politics
Russians are scheduled to vote on September 19. They will be deciding electoral races not only to the State Duma (lower chamber of the national parliament) but also to 39
Kremlin’s Geopolitical Fears Divide Finno-Ugric Peoples
The eighth meeting of the World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples took place in Tartu, Estonia, on June 16–18. These congresses, which are held in a different city every four years,
Russia on an ‘Unfriendly’ Planet: The Psychological Origins of the Kremlin’s Diplomatic War
Over the past couple months, Russia and the West (the European Union and the United States) have mutually expelled more than 150 diplomats—high numbers in quick succession that, some observers
Advisor to Russian Defense Minister Warns of ‘Mental War’: Who Is Waging It and Against Whom?
At the end of March, Andrei Ilnitsky, an advisor to the Russian minister of defense, gave a detailed interview to military magazine Arsenal Otechestva (Arsenal of the Fatherland) (Arsenal Otechestva,
‘Regional Patriotism’ Undermines the Kremlin’s Imperial Propaganda
In spring 2019, two large protest actions broke out in the Russian regions and attracted unusually close attention from the national media. Even as opposition activity in Moscow (see Commentaries,
Kremlin Looks to Military to Quell Public Unrest
The recent series of mass protests in various Russian regions have differed significantly from each other in their goals. For example, residents of the Republic of Ingushetia demanded a referendum
New Wave of Gubernatorial Resignations and Appointments: The Kremlin’s ‘Political Kickboxing’
This past March, Russia witnessed another wave of gubernatorial resignations and appointments. This time, the power shifts impacted five regions: Chelyabinsk, Murmansk and Orenburg oblasts, as well as the republics
New Laws Represent Latest Effort by Moscow to Limit Public Dissent, Spark Mass Protests
On March 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed laws prohibiting “obvious disrespect” to Russian authorities and the distribution of “untrue public information” (Novaya Gazeta, March 18). Effectively, these laws appear
Will Imperialist-Minded Putin Return the Kuriles to Japan?
Speaking on the sidelines of this year’s East Asia Summit (November 14–15), in Singapore, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe agreed to step up negotiations on
Ingushetia Demonstrates Failure of Putin’s Policies in North Caucasus
Weeks of mass protests by the residents of Ingushetia against the transfer of part of the republic’s territory to neighboring Chechnya became one of the most significant events in the
‘Preventive Democracy’ Fails in Russia as Anger Over Pension Reform Grows
Russia held local gubernatorial elections in 26 regions across the country, on September 9. And the results were unprecedented when compared to the usual political outcomes of recent years (TASS,
Russian Federal Districts as Instrument of Moscow’s Internal Colonization
At the end of June 2018, President Vladimir Putin named six plenipotentiaries to run Russia’s so-called “federal districts” (RBC, June 26). Four were holdovers, the remainder—new appointees. But all of
Kremlin’s Proxy Attacks on Last Vestiges of Russian Federalism
At the end of April, the Khural (parliament) of the Republic of Buryatia abolished the Constitutional Court of this federal subject (Kommersant, April 24). The decision was made on the
Russian Opposition Leaders From the Regions Increasingly Willing to Cooperate With Dissidents Abroad
The fifth meeting of the Forum of Free Russia was held on April 11–12, in Vilnius, Lithuania (Forumfreerussia.org, April 13). The event, held twice a year, gathered about 300 representatives
Dagestan: A Return to the Empire?
Since the second half of January, the Republic of Dagestan has undergone a systemic “cleaning out” of the entrenched local authorities. Similarly, there were recent loud arrests and prosecutions of
The Tsar’s Election and Referendums Without Politics
The predictability of the presidential elections in Russia, scheduled for March 18, forces the authorities to look for inventive ways to attract voters to the polls and ensure a high-enough
Kremlin Uses ‘Preventive Democracy’ to Reinforce Russia’s Post-Federalism (Part Two)
*To read Part One, please click here. Since the beginning of this year, 18 Russian governors have “voluntary” resigned from their positions. In their place, President Vladimir Putin appointed “temporarily
Kremlin Uses ‘Preventive Democracy’ to Reinforce Russia’s Post-Federalism (Part One)
Over the past year, the Russian Federation experienced two large waves of resignations of governors. In spring 2017, the heads of seven regions—Perm krai, Novgorod and Ryazan oblasts, as well
Russian Karelia: Further Repressions Instead of European Integration?
In Russian Karelia, there had been no election for the office of head of the republic since 2002. This year (September 10), such an election was finally held; and on
Fear of Long-Forgotten Urals Republic Reemerges in Moscow
The behavior of the Russian authorities can routinely be described as “mirroring.” If the United States accuses Russia of intervening in last year’s presidential election, the Kremlin responds that Moscow
Aging Apartment Block Demolitions Awaken Moscow Regionalist Sentiments
Last February, Russian President Vladimir Putin recommended to the mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, that the municipal administration demolish the city’s khrushchevki—five-story apartment buildings built in the 1950s–1960s and colloquially
The Devolution of Russian Federalism
Twenty-five years ago, on March 31, 1992, the Federative Treaty on the division of powers between the federal center and the Russian regions was signed in Moscow. This event was
Navalny Launches Russian Presidential Campaign in the Regions, Angers Local Federalist Sensibilities
Anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny, who considers himself the main opposition candidate in Russia’s upcoming presidential elections of 2018, began his campaign by opening a series of local headquarters in Russian
Russian Commentators Float Idea of ‘New Yalta’ Deal Among Russia, US and China
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first telephone call with the newly inaugurated President of the United States Donald Trump, on January 28, resulted in nothing sensational. A promise to immediately lift
The Illusion of a Restored Russian Superpower
The new Russian foreign policy concept, signed by President Vladimir Putin, was published on December 1 (Gov.ru, December 1). It replaced the previous concept adopted in 2013. The Russian financial
Russian Ethnic Minorities Repudiate Proposed Law on the Russian Nation
At an October 31 meeting of the Interethnic Relations Council, President Vladimir Putin approved the idea to adopt the “Law on the Russian Nation” (rossiyskaya natsiya), which would legally define
Russian Election Law Considers Finland a Part of Tatarstan
Russia held nationwide elections for the State Duma (lower house of parliament) on September 18, and Russian citizens living in foreign countries were also allowed to vote. One of the
Russian Regional Elections: Complete Predictability Can Become Unpredictable
The September 18 Russian elections (see EDM, September 19) were not only for the State Duma. In this “single voting day,” Russians also elected 7 governors and 39 regional legislative
Russia’s Draft Information Security Doctrine at Odds With Realities of Modern Information Environment
The Russian Security Council website announced that special discussions took place between June 25 and July 5 regarding the formulation of a new doctrine on information security. A draft “Information
Russian First Guards Tank Army as an Instrument of Hybrid War Against Baltic States
The 1st Guards Tank Army was formed in the Soviet Union, during the Second World War, in 1943. It was disbanded in 1999, but re-established in 2015. As more details
Renewed Call to Further Centralize the Russian Federation Meets Local Resistance
In late April, Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko proposed uniting a number of Russian regions into fewer, larger ones (TASS, April 24). This proposal should be understood against the background
Moscow Invites Chinese Factories to Move to the Russian Far East
Chemical, metallurgical and cement plants may soon be transferred from their current locations across northern China to the Russian Far East. This was the agreement reached in early April 2016,
Russian Opposition Meets Abroad, Calls for Greater Democratization and Federalism at Home
The first ever meeting of the Forum of Free Russia took place on March 9–10, in Vilnius, Lithuania. It was a unique public event, featuring a direct dialogue between Russian
The Kremlin Becomes Hostage to Its Own Imperial Propaganda
In January 2016, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the formation of three new divisions in the Western Military District of Russia. Two of them will be located near the