Latest Articles about Domestic/Social

Moscow Unwittingly Promoting Rise of Radical Islam in Dagestan by Not Addressing Problems
Executive Summary: Moscow is unwittingly contributing to the rise of Islamism in Dagestan by failing to address social and economic problems and by handing over the region to siloviki who view all protest there as Islamist. The problems in Dagestan and elsewhere in the North... MORE

Moscow Pressures Soldiers to Stay Enlisted to Sustain War Economy
Executive Summary: The Russian economy is stagnating as a result of the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine, making signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense one of the only ways to make money. Between March and April, the number of Russians willing to join the... MORE

Romania’s May Presidential Election Has Far-Right Reaching Consequences
Executive Summary: The second round of the Romanian presidential election on May 18 will be a battle for the country’s pro-Western direction. Romania’s constitutional court annulled the November 2024 election and banned ultranationalist Călin Georgescu from running in May after indications of illegal foreign interference... MORE

Moscow Focusing Its Attention on Non-Working Russians to Address Labor Shortage
Executive Summary: Moscow is mulling how to attract or force Russians not officially employed into the workforce in response to a growing labor shortage resulting from demographic decline, the difficulties of attracting and retaining immigrants, and the Kremlin’s military expansion. The Kremlin presents the effort... MORE

Georgia Brings Patriotic Ballad to Eurovision With Pro-Georgian Dream Artist
Executive Summary: Georgia’s entry at the Eurovision Song Contest this year, “Freedom,” is sung by Mariam Shengelia, who publicly supports the governing pro-Russian political party, Georgian Dream, and has performed at their events. The song has been criticized by Georgians and among fans internationally for... MORE

Russia Marks 80 Years Since the End of the Great Patriotic War
Executive Summary: Russia will celebrate Victory Day on May 9, marking 80 years since the end of World War II, a moral and existential victory that the Kremlin wields to legitimize its present-day war against Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “Great Patriotic War” narrative excludes... MORE

Chechen Leader Ramzan Kadyrov Requests Resignation
Executive Summary: Ramzan Kadyrov declared this week that he wants to retire from his position as head of the Chechen Republic but acknowledged that only Russian President Vladimir Putin could release him. Putin agreed to meet with him and appears to have turned down his... MORE

Environmental Protests in Bashkortostan Emerging as Threat to Moscow
Executive Summary: For more than six years, Bashkortostan has been the site of larger and more prolonged protests and greater repression than any other region of the Russian Federation, especially since Russian President Vladimir Putin began his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The protests and repression... MORE

Georgia’s Pro-Kremlin Parties are Growing Stronger
Executive Summary: The Georgian State Registry re-registered “Conservatives for Georgia,” a pro-Russian party tied to political violence and anti-Western rhetoric, signaling the ruling Georgian Dream party’s continued effort to consolidate pro-Russian forces ahead of elections. Ultranationalist groups, originally civil movements promoting anti-Western propaganda, have gained... MORE

Kremlin Propaganda Uses Alexander Ovechkin’s Hockey Record to Promote Russian Nationalism
Executive Summary: The Kremlin is using Russian ice hockey player Alexander Ovechkin’s record as the all-time National Hockey League–North America’s professional ice hockey league—scorer to promote nationalism, claiming the achievement for Russia. Russian President Putin has long used sports to symbolize Russian values and project... MORE