Russia will hold a general election in December. ‘United Russia’, the party in power, has to win and will do all it can to ensure that it does. There are many tricks in the book, lawful and unlawful, but the recent Putin-Medvedev announcement has raised levels of discontent and the voter is always
Occupying power while showing no intent to take possession of it, faithful servant Dmitry Medvedev could not have been more obliging to his master. Yet handing back power in such circumstances will be painful for the still-young president. His embitterment may yet play out in interesting ways, wri
Alla Pugacheva has ruled Russian pop for more than 40 years, surviving criticism and change while endearing herself to ordinary Russians. Her recent foray into politics, supporting the billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov and ‘Just Cause’ was less successful, but she will rise above the problems, just as
The city of Tula lies 193 kms south of Moscow. The city is proud of its past, celebrating its links with Lev Tolstoy. The main industry is small arms manufacture, but many people commute weekly to Moscow, where the salaries are considerably higher.
In the past Soviet citizens would flock to Crimea for their summer holidays. In 1954 Khrushchev handed it over to Ukraine; in 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed and Crimea suddenly became ‘abroad,’ a tricky situation for the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Feelings ran high, but have calmed down recently, t
Self-censorship was an important feature of Soviet life, but old habits, it seems, die hard. Mikhail Loginov reports on the return of “unwritten rules” to the Russian regional press
The recent appointment of Mikhail Prokhorov as leader of the liberal party Right Cause is puzzling. He’s the third richest man in Russia, so why should he bother? He has no choice, argues Mikhail Loginov. The Kremlin wants a hate figure on the scene to shore up support for Putin’s United Russia ah
The outcome of the 2012 Russian presidential race — i.e. which of the tandem will stand — may only be determined once the results of December's parliamentary elections are in. Putin has started his campaign early, and is showering largesse on potential voters, but for various reasons this could pr
Combining a patriotic appeal with new technology and Obama-style presentation, Alexei Navalny has emerged as the unifying figure for anti-government sentiment in Russia. His imaginative campaigning is unlikely to land him in the Kremlin, but it has transformed the country’s political landscape for
Russia is on the verge of election season. While simmering social tensions and a nervous elite make these interesting times, no-one really doubts United Russia will sweep a national victory. The interesting battles will be in local and city elections, writes Mikhail Loginov.
