Reports of Dr. Svyatoslav Kaspe
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The puzzle of Sergey Shoygu
Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu has had a long and stable career at the top of Russia’s politics. As the country lumbers toward an inevitable regime transformation, some see him as a potential successor to Vladimir Putin. This report examines his background and asks whether that will really be his role ...
Opinion: The political meanings and uses of Russian corruption
Russia is often described as a hotbed of corruption, but while the country is undoubtedly corrupt, it is worth looking at informal networks with a more nuanced perspective. These systems perform several key functions in the Russian balance of power.
New Opportunities 2021: A humble hope
The GIS New Opportunities 2021 series concludes with an essay from Dr. Svyatoslav Kaspe on hope for the future. Humankind can take heart that the worst predictions for doom and gloom did not come to pass in 2020, though neither did the most optimistic of forecasts. This leaves us with ...
Inside Russia’s political labyrinth: Putin, Navalny and… someone else
Many political pundits have jumped to the conclusion that Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind the August assassination attempt targeting well-known opposition activist Alexei Navalny. However, the confused and disjointed reactions from the Kremlin seem to indicate that the attack was not sponsored by the presidential office, or at least ...
Russia in the time of Covid: Schrodinger’s Putin and bulldogs with masks (Part 2)
In Russia, the Covid-19 outbreak has undone years of centralization by the Kremlin. Regional governors had to be granted powers that Moscow may not be able to take back once the pandemic ends. The crisis has also exacerbated friction between the church and the government, while dropping oil prices have ...
Russia in the time of Covid: Schrodinger’s Putin and bulldogs with masks (Part 1)
The Putin administration rushed a wide range of constitutional amendments through parliament during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Most analysts have come to the conclusion that the sole purpose of the changes was to allow the Russian president to hold on to power, but several developments contradict this ...
Leadership Challenges 2020: The splendor and misery of Russian governance
Evaluating the efficiency of the Russian government is a nearly impossible task because it has no declared policy goals. Corruption remains rampant, and the territorial conflict with Ukraine will require decades before relations between the two countries can be normalized. What is unclear is whether the Putin administration was pursuing ...
Essay: A new actor in Russian politics – citizens
For years, the only role “the people” have played in Russian politics is one in which they legitimize the regime in power. Though admittedly important, that role did not involve shaping the political agenda. Now, that seems to be changing – all because of a mismanaged election for Moscow’s city ...
