The Kremlin and coronavirus
Despite recording some of the first cases outside of China in early 2020, Russia reported unusually low incidents of coronavirus while those in other regions climbed rapidly. However, in recent days the number of cases in the country has grown rapidly, leading to questions of honesty about initial government reports as well as how equipped Russia’s government and health systems are prepared to deal with a major outbreak. This is in addition to the Kremlin’s exploitation of the virus to spread disinformation, burnish its image abroad, and enlarge political control at home.
Wed, May 27, 2020
The Russian economy in health, oil, and economic crisis
Russia’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic and the ensuing economic crisis does not impress. Arguably, it has hardly been worse than the average EU response—except for the Central European countries, where the pandemic arrived late and who protected themselves much better. The Russian authorities’ attempts to deny and conceal the epidemic have undermined popular trust in Putin, which is lower than ever. Nor have the authorities shown any sign of restart long dormant reforms.
Tue, Mar 24, 2020
Six reasons the Kremlin spreads disinformation about the coronavirus
Fabrications about COVID-19’s origins are meant to stir up anti-U.S. sentiment and fuel discord.
Article by Jakub Kalenský
Fri, Mar 27, 2020
Russia orders tech platforms to remove coronavirus “fake news”
The Russian government has been actively engaged in spreading disinformation and misinformation around the pandemic. The Kremlin has also been active in ordering internet platforms operating in the country to remove coronavirus “fake news” from their platforms, which follows previous Kremlin efforts to crack down on independent internet sites offering legitimate news.
New Atlanticist by Justin Sherman
What does Moscow really want?
For the last six years, Moscow has been pursuing a multidimensional destabilization campaign against Ukraine. What is the Kremlin’s foreign policy, and what does Moscow really want in Ukraine?
The making of Putin’s Russia: Anders Åslund on the rise of Russia’s oligarchs
Q&A with Dr. Anders Åslund, focusing on the turbulent 1990s in Russia and the rise of Russia’s powerful oligarch class.
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Mon, Mar 9, 2020
Saudi Arabia and Russia feud over coronavirus oil response: Will everyone lose?
“While Russia’s decision last week not to support OPEC’s proposal for a production cut and the subsequent oil price war—which as of publishing has pushed Brent crude down more than 9 percent—is surely part of the larger story of the economic impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, it is actually better understood as a geopolitical story about how US energy production growth has strengthened the United States’ international posture, which in turn has reshaped a number of global relationships,” Randolph Bell says.
New Atlanticist by
Mon, Mar 9, 2020
Pseudo diplomacy in Syria
For nine years the West has chosen, in the context of Syria, to deny real power to its diplomats and its diplomacy.
MENASource by Frederic C. Hof
Fri, Mar 6, 2020
Russia’s exotic nuclear weapons and implications for the United States and NATO
Great-power competition has returned, and with it, the importance of nuclear weapons in international politics.
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