How the 2014 Economic Crisis Changed Russia’s Economy
Just about everyone in the United States knows something about the global financial crisis of 2008-2009. That particular crisis started in the U.S. housing and…
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Putin’s National Address on Pension Reform
Background: Pension reform has become a pressing issue in Russia. Russia currently has one of the world’s lowest retirement ages (55 for women and 60…
Russia’s Second De-Urbanization
The following originally appeared in Russian on Lenta.ru. The original text can be viewed, in full, here. Translation below is provided by Lindsey Greytak, a…
Recycling and Waste Recovery in Russia: Policy and Infrastructure Challenges
“Municipal solid waste,” or “MSW,” is the technical term given to “garbage consisting of everyday items used by the public.” Managing MSW is increasingly a…
Ecotourism in Siberia: Development and Challenges on Olkhon Island
Tourism in Russia today makes up approximately 16% of the nation’s economy; however, “ecotourism” comprises only about 1% of Russia’s tourism sector. Given that 65%…
The Clarity in Baikal’s Future: Municipal Water and Waste Systems in Irkutsk
Most Russian travel guides warn against drinking the tap water in Russia. Although most Russian cities now have municipal water systems, still, most travelers and…
Russia’s Arctic Development: Problems and Priorities
What climate change and arctic development means for Russia, the environment, and the international community. The Arctic region is a vast area whose economic potential,…
Who’s Who in Kyrgyz Politics
This resource discusses many place names in Kyrgyzstan. Geography is important to Kyrgyz politics, which are marked by a distinct north-south split. In the north,…
Alexei Kudrin
Alexei Kudrin Rebuilding a Collapsed Country Alexei Leonidovich Kudrin became Russia’s Minister of Finance in 2000 and retained the post for 11 years. As the…
Elvira Nabiullina
Elvira Nabiullina and Saving Russia’s Financial System Elvira Nabiullina is currently ranked the most powerful woman in Russia and has been named one of the…
Vostochny Cosmodrome: Liability or Asset?
Is Russia’s new launch site a long term liability or a strategic asset? April 28 marked the first successful rocket launch from Russia’s new cosmodrome…
Four Reformers in Russia’s Shock Therapy
In the wake of the 1990’s, the future of nascent post-Soviet Russia was in the hands of four groups of reformers, who were entrusted with…
The Evolution and Dissolution of the Soviet Kitchen
Just as the leadership, citizens, and politics of the USSR changed drastically between 1917 and 1991, so too the Soviet kitchen underwent innumerable changes from…
Kyrgyzstan Prepares to Join the Eurasian Economic Union, Amid Concerns and Questions about the Future
In the two decades since its independence from the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan has maintained close ties with Russia, on which it remains economically dependent, while…
Russia’s Current Economic Conundrum: 2014-2015 Economic Crisis
A large part of Russian society, particularly its political elite, still cherishes the great dream of Russia as a powerful and economically strong global player….
35th Anniversary of the Club of Public Transportation Lovers in Warsaw
This past weekend were the 35th anniversary celebrations of the Club of Public Transportation Lovers in Warsaw (KMKM). I didn’t actually realize at first that…
Coming Soon: The Moscow Ring Railway
The Village is a Russian-language publication in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kiev that seeks to inform locals about their various cities, upcoming events, urban changes, and history. One of the…
7 Facts about the April, 1991 Economic Crisis
The following text was written by Aleksei Rudevich and originally appeared in Russian on the website “Russian 7.” To read the original Russian, click here….
Ukraine Update in 7 Sentences
The following is a list of seven general points to be aware of as the Ukraine / Crimea Crisis continues to develop. This resource has…
Agriculture as the Basis of a New Russia
An Open Letter to the Authorities Boris Akimov is a man of all trades. Until 2010 he worked as a journalist for Afisha and Snob,…