Latest Articles about Domestic/Social
Infantilism and Sacrifice: Why Russians Go to War Even When They Disagree With It
The Russian authorities have seriously embraced the ideological indoctrination of children through “patriotic propaganda” to guarantee their unwavering loyalty as adults. Meanwhile, psychologists point out that Russian society embraces numerous circumstances in which even those who do not wish to go to war do so... MORE
Moscow Opens the Way for Iran to Increase Its Influence in the Caucasus
Moscow’s efforts to promote the development of a north-south trade corridor through the Caucasus and to use Iran to circumvent Western sanctions have given Tehran a new and expanded opportunity to take a leading role in the South Caucasus. First and foremost, as Russia’s new... MORE
Snap Presidential Elections in Kazakhstan: Democratization or Autocracy?
About three weeks remain until the snap presidential elections in Kazakhstan, which are scheduled for November 20—18 months ahead of the original 2024 date (Tengrinews, September 22). In the words of Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, changing the election date was necessary “to reload the main... MORE
The Kremlin’s Economic Mobilization
Following the “partial mobilization” of the Russian populace, huge losses in arms, as well as economic and budgetary imbalances, Moscow is facing the inevitable prospect of a complete economic mobilization. Since October 19, martial law has been implemented in the occupied and formally annexed Ukrainian... MORE
No Surprises but Putin Reveals Frustrations at Valdai
The Valdai Club’s annual conference used to be a gala gathering of Western and international experts who appreciated direct access to Russian elites and expected to hear about new trends and ambitions in Moscow’s foreign policy from the traditional speech given by President Vladimir Putin.... MORE
The Ghosts of ‘Taras Bul’ba’
A recently completed investigation demonstrates that the main goal of the Russian-forced re-location of Ukrainian children to Russia is so they can be raised to value their “true” heritage, which has drawn the ire of Kyiv (Ukrainian.voanews.com, October 22). The shared cultural heritage of Russia... MORE
Moscow Alarmed by Growing Non-Russian Nationalism and Ukraine’s Role in It
Moscow has long been upset by Kyiv’s efforts to reach out to non-Russian nations inside the Russian Federation and enlist them as allies in its fight against the Kremlin. But steps taken by Ukrainian leaders in the past few weeks, a time of heightened concern... MORE
As War Rages in Ukraine, the German-Polish Schism Deepens
While German politics remained relatively stable under former Chancellor Angela Merkel and we may observe a certain level of continuity under her successor, Olaf Scholz, Polish politics have undergone a profound change since 2015, when the United Right (Law and Justice) took charge. This shift... MORE
Soul-Searching in the Opposition Amid Growing Threats to Belarusian Sovereignty
The Belarusian opposition media continues to be frustrated with Ukrainians' worsening attitude toward Belarusians in their country. The September 2022 telephone and online survey of 2,000 Ukrainians by the Kyiv-based International Institute of Sociology revealed that, regarding Belarusians, Ukrainians view the group with the third-most... MORE
Recent Kremlin Policies Bog Down Russian War Effort (Part Two)
When it comes to industrial mobilization in Russia, it is necessary to underline a critical component: the degree of integration between military and civilian production. During World War I, 80 percent of military products were produced by civilian enterprises in Russia; by 1941, the share... MORE