Putin May Be Crying ‘Wolf’ Once Too Often, Gudkov Says
After a brief break from its “besieged fortress” rhetoric, the Kremlin has returned to the idea that Russia is surrounded by hostile forces which are seeking to destabilize it in advance of the presidential…
Russia Day as a symbol of propaganda schizophrenia
On 12 June, Russians marks a holiday known as Russia Day, possibly the most controversial date in the country’s recent history.
The Power Vertical: Putin Has No Story To Tell (Transcript)
Vladimir Putin has always been a very good storyteller. First he told a story about how he was the man who restored order, saved Russia from the chaos of the nineties, battled the oligarchs, and brought unprecedented prosperity.
“Most common way that fake news spreads is from laziness” – Aric Toler (Bellingcat)
Aric Toler has been an employee at Bellingcat since 2015. He graduated with an MA in Slavic Languages & Literatures from the University of Kansas in 2013, focusing on Russian literature and intellectual history.
The Daily Vertical: Who’s Afraid Of Montenegro? (Transcript)
One has to wonder why the Kremlin is getting so hysterical about Montenegro joining NATO. I mean, let's have a little reality check here.
Putin Needs an Intelligentsia that Complains but Knows Its Place, Shevtsova Says
Vladimir Putin needs a constantly complaining but one that knows what not to criticize – his person and immediate entourage – and how not to act – by taking part in demonstrations or in politics – so that…
Russian Hacking Allegations Could Get Putin Reelected (Op-ed)
Allegations of Russian hacking are still murky, but distraction in Washington is still a net gain for Russia By Vladimir Frolov, for The Moscow Times Vladimir Putin danced circles around U.S. television host…
The Daily Vertical: The New NKVD (Transcript)
The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL. Words matter. And they particularly matter when they are uttered by somebody as powerful as the second-in-command of Vladimir Putin's personal Praetorian Guard.
The Daily Vertical: Putin Meets The World He Created (Transcript)
Vladimir Putin just got a little taste of the world he created. He got pomp and circumstance amid the opulent splendor of Versailles. And he got a public dressing down from French President Emmanuel Macron.
Putin Doesn’t Want Russians to Continue Focusing on Crimea, Goryunova Says
Vladimir Putin, who exploited Russian euphoria over the Anschluss of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea three years ago to boost his own power, now wants Russians to pay less attention to that region so that…