Analysis

This listing contains all the analytical materials posted on the Russia Matters website. These include: RM Exclusives, commissioned by Russia Matters exclusively for this website; Recommended Reads, deemed particularly noteworthy by our editorial team; Partner Posts, originally published by our partners elsewhere; and Future Policy Leaders, pieces by promising young scholars and policy thinkers. Content can be filtered by genre and subject-specific criteria and is updated often. Gradually we will be adding older Recommended Reads and Partner Posts dating back as far as 2011.
Clues from Russian Views

From Thanking God to Seeing the Abyss: Russians React to Putin’s Mobilization

Simon Saradzhyan September 21, 2022 RM Exclusives
Check out our compilation for reactions to Putin's announcement from both Russia’s pro-war and anti-war camps.
Clues from Russian Views

Volunteer Battalions: From Offense to (Territorial) Defense?

Nikolai Petrov August 19, 2022
Launched in the spring, the large-scale program to form volunteer battalions across Russia’s regions seeks to accomplish several tasks.
Clues from Russian Views

The Russian Revolution Failed. Long Live the Revolution!

Victor Davidoff August 19, 2022
In 2022, the anniversary of the victorious "August Revolution of 1991" in Russia brings only bitter disappointment that descends into depression.
article

What’s Missing from Mearsheimer’s Analysis of the Ukraine War

Joe Cirincione July 29, 2022 RM Exclusives
To make the facts fit his assessment, he must disregard Russia’s own pronouncements, its brutality and the security imperatives of its neighbors.
article

From Accepting NATO Aspirations to ‘Denazifying’: 20+ Years of Putin’s Changing Views on Ukraine

RM Staff June 16, 2022 RM Exclusives
Our review of 22 years of official statements makes it clear that, typically, Putin has publicly signaled shifts in his views on Ukraine before translating them into policy.
Clues from Russian Views

The Future Defederation of Russia

Alexander Etkind June 08, 2022
Contemporary Russia, a nation-state, calls itself a federation, like Germany or Switzerland, when in fact it is behaving like an empire in its hour of decline.
Clues from Russian Views

Why We Are Missing the Cold War

Andrey Sushentsov May 06, 2022
It is obvious that the Americans’ interest now is to make the Ukrainian crisis last as long as possible, so that Russia comes out of it weaker: this will create a different negotiating reality.
Clues from Russian Views

Tested by Ukraine. Third Attempt

Konstantin Zatulin May 01, 2022
"After February 24 ... we have no other choice other than to win," says the Russian lawmaker.
Clues from Russian Views

This War Cannot End in a Victory

Alexei Yurchak April 25, 2022
When reforms start at the top—and they will start because this war [in Ukraine] cannot end in a "victory"—the regime will collapse. We know from our recent history that such changes happen quickly and unexpectedly.
multimedia

Negotiating with Vladimir Putin: Video Advice from Five Former US Secretaries of State

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs March 25, 2022 Partner Posts
Based on their personal negotiations with this challenging Russian leader, this compilation delivers highly relevant insights from Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and Rex Tillerson for forging a diplomatic end to the war in Ukraine.
article

Russia's Discouraging Demographics Shouldn't Change US Approach

Alexandra Vacroux December 21, 2021 RM Exclusives
The possibility that Russia might have fewer people and a smaller economy will not negate the fact that it is a nuclear superpower with unfriendly intent. What Russia becomes is less important than what Russia is willing to do.
multimedia

PONARS Eurasia Fall Policy Conference 2021

PONARS Eurasia October 24, 2021 Partner Posts
Leading experts from around the world discuss US-Russia relations, security and geopolitics topics.
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