Grocery Shopping in Russia: 1917 – Present
In the past century, Russia has experienced different economic systems and many societal changes. One industry that reflects this, perhaps more than any other, is…
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Russian for Wonks: Sanctions-Related Russian Vocabulary
Sanctions against Russia have been a complex and ever-changing US-led effort. Some other countries, most prominently the EU, have also enacted sanctions, but there is…
Putin’s New Year Message to Russians in Translation
While Americans gather around TV screens to watch a ball drop on Times Square to bring in the New Year, Russians gather around to watch…
Chechen-Ingush Land Dispute: A Policy Primer
Major protests were triggered in Ingushetia’s capital city by a recent land swap between Chechnya and Ingushetia. On September 26, 2018, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov…
Russian for Wonks: Russian Labor Market
This resource is intended to serve as a map for the Russian labor market both in terms of official and unofficial labor practices and with…
Maxim Oreshkin: Young Technocrat and Minister of Economic Development
Maxim Stanislavovich Oreshkin is a Russian economist and former investment banker now serving as Minister of Economic Development for the Russian Federation. At just 36…
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…
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 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%…
President Putin’s Acceptance Speech
Shortly after Russia’s Central Election Committee announced the official results of the 2018 Russian presidential election, Vladimir Putin made a nationally televised acceptance speech. It…
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…
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,…
Vladimir Putin’s Annual News Conference in Side-by-Side Translation
The following is the official video, transcript, and official translation for Vladimir Putin’s annual news conference as given on December 14, 2017. Note that the…
Vladimir Putin’s Annual News Conference in Side-by-Side Translation – Part II
The following is the official video, transcript, and official translation for Vladimir Putin’s annual news conference as given on December 14, 2017. Note that the…