Russia’s IT: A Journey from Innovation to Control

Russia’s IT industry embodies innovation intertwined with control. This sector, stemming from a historical surge in scientific talent, boasts technological marvels like remote ID acquisition and seamless mobile banking, yet veils convenience with intrusive surveillance. The rise of tech giants, challenged by political scrutiny post-2011, led to stifling regulations and the exodus of tech leaders. This clash between progress and control symbolizes untapped potential stifled by political constraints, raising questions about the industry’s future trajectory.

The Unveiling of a Resolute Movement: Mobilized Recruits’ Wives Demand Return of Loved Ones from the Battlefield

The article explores a new movement spearheaded by mobilized soldiers’ families, advocating for the return of troops deployed for an extended period. It delves into the stark contrast between volunteers driven by financial incentives and committed recruits, unraveling societal norms within an abnormal state. Through compelling narratives, it exposes the disillusionment of families facing a callous government, culminating in a poignant portrayal of a grassroots movement striving for justice and peace amid an unjust conflict.

Stuck in a Stalemate: The Unending Conflict and Its Political Quagmire

This article delves into the heart of the matter, exploring the profound and grim complexities of a war that defies resolution. Drawing parallels with the trench warfare of WWI, the narrative emphasizes the stalemate, where both sides lack the resources for a decisive offensive but possess the will to persist defensively. The analysis underscores the stark realities of the war, highlighting the recruitment efforts, resource constraints, and the implausibility of a military victory. As the conflict’s gravity endures, it becomes increasingly apparent that the only feasible endgame lies in political negotiations, even as the article warns of the formidable challenges and the absence of a viable interlocutor on one side of the table.

Desertion in Russia Army: Survival and a Brewing Revolution

In contemporary Russia, a surge in military desertion is driven by soldiers seeking an escape from the dire conditions and senseless conflict in Ukraine. Society’s perception of desertion shifts from condemnation to admiration. As this phenomenon unfolds, it hints at a potential societal upheaval in Russia, driven by a restless population yearning to break free from a conflict that offers no hope.

Russia’s Regime at a Crossroads: Adapting to a New Reality

In Russia, recent events in the North Caucasus have unveiled a stark dissonance between the government’s traditional propaganda tactics and the evolving sociopolitical landscape. The regime’s long-standing strategy of cultivating manufactured adversaries, typically through state-controlled media and disinformation campaigns, has taken an unexpected and dangerous turn as it incites real-world violence and aggression. This unsettling shift is indicative of a regime struggling to adapt to the changing reality it helped construct, putting Russia at a critical juncture where the unintended consequences of its manipulation could potentially jeopardize its grip on power.

Lossing Russia is easier than making it lose a war

Instead of solely draining Russia’s authoritarian institution, the current sanctions drain their democratic alternatives even more. As a result, after inevitably losing the war with Ukraine, Russia will become a poorer, more authoritarian, and hostile society united by an even stronger desire for retribution. To avert this outcome, there should be an acknowledgment that the unreformed Soviet institutions uphold Russia’s autocracy. I argue that the theories of economic transitions that guided the creation of the Russian modern private sector provide clear theoretical guidance on optimal sanctioning today. Russia’s state higher education and science is an excellent frontier where these optimal sanctions can be tested.