Kremlin - Raam op Rusland

Is the Kremlin intentionally downplaying the threat of the coronavirus?

As of March 24, Russia had reported 658 cases of coronavirus and one (disputed) death. But there is growing speculation in the West over whether official figures can be trusted and whether the Kremlin might be making use of the pandemic to further its own ends. Carnegie Moscow offered three comments by Russian analysts, which we republish.
Berlin Game: the Hubris of Russia's Gunman Geopolitics

Two weeks ago in Berlin a Chechen enemy of the Kremlin was murdered by, presumably, a contract killer dispatched from Moscow. According to security expert Mark Galeotti, Russian policy making is often 'driven by powerful intangibles such as honour, vengeance and reputation'.

by Mark Galeotti
After Putin not much will change in Russia's foreign policy

This fall Dmitry Trenin publishes his new book 'Russia', an ultra-concise overview of 120 years of Russia's recent history. On the site of Carnegie he published this summary.

by Dmitry Trenin
'The future of Russia is evolution to a European parliamentary democracy'

In a hall with over 400 (mostly) students at the Campus The Hague, Mikhail Khodorkovsky spoke about the future of Russia. Khodorkovsky declared himself a staunch supporter of evolutionary change in Russia, from a presidential system to a fullfledged democratic parliamentary republic.

by Raam op Rusland
Is Nazarbayev blazing a trail for Putin?

After president Nursultan Nazarbayev announced that he would step down after 30 years in power, Kazakh parliament decided to rename the capital to Nursultan, and wants to make the president's daughter speaker of the House. 'Is he really stepping down?' asks our columnist Mark Galeotti. And: what can Vladimir Putin learn from the cunning fox about exit strategies and safe havens?

by Mark Galeotti
The Twilight of Putin’s Political Monopoly?

Political fragmentation, fights between the elites and a total absence of a positive domestic agenda. Political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya signals three key domestic risks of the year 2019 for those in power.

by Tatiana Stanovaya
Kremlin calculus seems driven by dreams of war

We can keep laughing at the Russian military intelligence service, says our columnist Mark Galeotti, but we should
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Poison has become the fingerprint of Russia

It seems medieval and extremely cruel to get rid of an adversary with poison. It has become almost a business card of the
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Public attack on Navalny by top military undermines Putin’s inner circle

Viktor Zolotov’s threat video message to Alexei Navalny underscores the increasing incoherence of the authorities’ strategy for
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Hoofd Nationale Garde dreigt van Navalny ‘gehakt’ te maken

Het hoofd van de Russische Nationale Garde en voormalig lijfwacht van president Poetin, generaal Viktor Zolotov, belooft in een
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Poetin is alleskunner in nieuwe tv-show

De eerste zondag van september werd de Russische televisiekijker verrast door een uitzending waarin de lofzang op Poetin komische
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Lastige spagaat: grootmacht spelen én concessies doen

Als Rusland iets beheerst, zegt politiek analist Lilia Sjevtsova, dan is het het Westen zo manipuleren dat het gretig zijn eigen
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In Kemerovo stond Poetin oog in oog met zijn horigensysteem

In Rusland wordt verbijsterd gereageerd op de onkunde en gevoelloosheid van de locale overheid na de brand in het
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Russia pursues 'dark power' and the West has no answer

The nerve agent attack on British soil is a classical who-dunnit from a Cold War spy novel. More interesting than the murky details is the
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'Gorbatsjov was een humanist op zoek naar compromissen'

Zes jaar (1985 - 1991) tolkte Pavel Palazjtsjenko bij alle belangrijke ontmoetingen van Michail Gorbatsjov met wereldleiders.
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Kremlin's puzzle: how to frame Putin's re-election?

This autumn marks the start of an insecure election year in Russia. On 18 march 2018 Putin will most likely be re-elected for
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Conspiracy theories dominate East-West relations: time for realism

The big Russian-Belarusian military exercise Zapad-2017 is in full swing. Speculations as to what Russia is up to abound. The
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Amerikaanse sancties vergroten de kans op chaos in de wereld

Het westerse sanctiebeleid tegen Rusland betrof tot voor kort een regionaal conflict (Oekraïne). Dat was ellendig voor
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De staat wint in Rusland altijd van de burger

Er is een constante in de Russische geschiedenis: de staat wint het altijd van de burger. Moskou is een moderne metropool met
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Angst voor Kremlin overtrokken: pro-Europese Macron wint

Voor Russische inmenging bij de verkiezingen in Europa werd gevreesd. Het Kremlin had in Amerika immers laten zien waartoe het in
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Ook Russen breken zich het hoofd over Trumps zigzagkoers

Na de aanvankelijke euforie over de verkiezing van Trump begint men zich ook in Rusland zorgen te maken over de onvoorspelbaarheid
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The Trump Dossier: dynamite or disinformation?

In the fierce information battle on Donald Trump a 35 page highly secret document by an unknown British intelligence officer was
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Hacking Western democracy

President Obama struck back at Russia on December 29 for its alleged cyber-attacks, designed to influence the 2016 election. After
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What is behind Russia's tough talk on Crimea?

Russia reacted unusually strong after a misty shoot-out near the border with Crimea, blamed on 'Ukrainian terrorists'. Putin in
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