For the first time since the Russian Civil War (November 1917–June 1923), commentators in Russia and abroad are applying the word “pogrom” to the startling events in Russia that began at the end of October. These developments took place not only in Dagestan but also... MORE

In September, Moscow announced its plans to dramatically increase defense spending by the end of the year, with some estimating a 70-percent increase for that budget (see EDM, October 5). Russia’s national defense budget has reportedly been growing quickly ever since, but this has not... MORE

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 “partial mobilization” (RBC, October 28, 2022). Official data on how many of these recruits have... MORE

A new electoral season has kicked off in Belarus as the country prepares for parliamentary elections in February 2024. The elections are coming at a time when two parallel worlds in Belarus are increasingly diverging, writes Alexander Klaskovsky, a veteran political commentator now in exile... MORE

On October 20, the Russian state statistical agency, Rosstat, issued a second report predicting that Russia’s population will continue to decline and be down more than seven million people by 2046. Rosstat’s first report came at the end of September and presented estimates that the... MORE

Moscow’s war against Ukraine has resulted in serious military and economic losses for the Russian Federation. The Kremlin has tried to mitigate the effect of stringent Western sanctions through a combination of non-compliance with the oil price ceiling, evading sanctions via third parties, and high... MORE

While Kremlin leadership is trying to ignore the combat situation in Ukraine with, for example, an unnecessary sports festival in Perm, it has not given up on Russia’s goal to destroy the world order. Moscow seeks to upend the West’s economic, political, and cultural dominance... MORE

The recent decision by Hong Kong to join China in banning Japanese seafood took many observers by surprise (Reuters, August 23). At first glance, the ban seemed an overblown reaction to Japan's handling of nuclear wastewater, which many international bodies have deemed safe and compliant... MORE

On October 7–8, Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi (蔡奇) chaired the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology, and Cultural Work (People’s Daily, October 9). This was the third installment of a quinquennial series of conferences dedicated to such work. This year’s edition moved beyond those... MORE

On October 2, the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) released a statement alleging that three Serbian trainers are recruiting activists with the intent to orchestrate the violent overthrow of the Georgian government (Civil.ge, October 2). The SSSG’s statement highlights the Georgian Dream government’s growing paranoia... MORE