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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Communism in Modern Moscow: Vadim Kumin
Vadim Kumin was the mayoral candidate from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF). He took 11.4 percent of the vote to come solidly…
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…
The Present Is History: A Journey to Newly-Independent Kyrgyzstan
Eugene Huskey is one of America’s foremost experts on modern Kyrgyzstan. The following text recounts his first trip to Kyrgyzstan in June of 1992, just…
The Cultural Diplomacy of the FIFA World Cup
Sports has long been a vehicle for cultural diplomacy. This summer, Russia hosted the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Early June brought a plethora of foreign…
The Communists of Russia: Platform and History
Founded in 2009 and officially registered in Russia as a political party since 2012, the Communists of Russia (KR) are distinct from and considerably more…
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%…
Pavel Grudinin: Commercially-Driven Socialism
Pavel Nikolaevich Grudinin is the current Russian presidential nominee from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF). As he is not a member of…
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…
Moldovan Politics: Early Moldovan Independence
The Common Roots of Moldovan Nationalism, Liberalism, and the Start of the Transnistrian Conflict The following is part of a series of resources that seeks…
Moldovan Politics: Voronin and the Communists
The Fall and Rise and Fall of Moldova’s Communists The following is part of a series of resources that seeks to explain Moldova’s current political…
Moldovan Politics: Presidential Crises 2009-2018
Trading One Crisis for Another: Timofti and Dodin The following is part of a series of resources that seeks to explain Moldova’s current political situation…
Moldovan Politics: Recent Scandals and Fallout
Recent Scandals: the Downfall of Some, the Rise of Others The following is part of a series of resources that seeks to explain Moldova’s current…
Moldovan Politics: The Rise of Vladimir Plahotniuc
Plahotniuc: For Stability or Authoritarianism? The following is part of a series of resources that seeks to explain Moldova’s current political situation through the biographies…
Moldovan Politics: Introduction
Moldovan politics are some of Europe’s most complicated and interesting. In an era when democracies are increasingly appraised by the rapidity of changes and degree…
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,…
The Nentsy in Russia’s Energy-Heavy Yamal Peninsula
Today, over 100 identified ethnic groups exist in Russia, 41 of which are legally recognized as “indigenous small numbered peoples.” While these groups make up…
Alexei Navalny
Alexei Navalny Modern Liberal Nationalism See also: Alexei Navalny: Mayoral Platform for 2013 (in English) Alexei Anatolievich Navalny is a lawyer, activist, and politician. He…