Resolving the Crisis
Vladimir Putin is presiding over Russia's economic crisis with an iron fist. Can the Left present a viable challenge?
Search Result(s) for: “russia”
Israel’s War in Gaza Could Be a Curse for Vladimir Putin
Israel’s war in Gaza has been portrayed as a gift for Moscow, helping it rally the Global South against the West. But Kremlin policy in the region has long relied on a tacit deal with Israel — and its unraveling is causing splits within Russia’s elite.
Azerbaijan’s Ethnic Cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh Is Fueled by Regional Power Struggles
The Soviet Union’s collapse created opportunities for nationalist elites. Azerbaijan's current campaign of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh has been enabled by both this instability and regional jostling for influence by Russia, Turkey, and others.
Energy Politics Will Define the Future of Europe
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine transformed the energy politics of Europe: America became Germany’s main importer of liquid natural gas and Putin pivoted east. This new order is likely to generate more conflicts than the one that came before it.
Dockworkers Against Russia’s and Israel’s Wars
In Sweden, workers boycotted Russian ships in response to the invasion of Ukraine, and then did the same for Israel’s arms trade. Their action shows the power of working-class solidarity against militarism.
The Media’s Neo-McCarthyism on Russia Is Getting Worse
After weeks on the sidelines, Bernie Sanders and other progressives are taking a forceful stand on the Ukraine crisis. They’re navigating a dangerous climate created by mainstream media — including liberal outlet MSNBC — that casts antiwar opinion as disloyalty.
Raging Against Vladimir Putin’s War Machine
In Russia and occupied Ukraine, many thousands of civilians have been jailed or forcibly disappeared for speaking out against the invasion. The numbers reflect a crackdown on dissent worse than at any point since the 1950s.
In Russia, the Fight Is Alive
Vladimir Putin’s authoritarian regime claims to offer order in place of post-Soviet chaos. Yet the crude repression of opposition demonstrations shows the regime’s fear of the rising popular discontent.
The Question of Russia and the Left
Making political hay from attacking Donald Trump as Vladimir Putin’s puppet is both wrong and dangerous.
A Game of Russian Roulette
Couching opposition to Trump in anti-Russia language will only end up benefiting the Right.
In Ukraine, Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin Are Playing with Fire
The current Ukraine-Russia standoff is the most dangerous European war crisis in decades. Rhetorical grandstanding and the buildup of weaponry risk setting off a devastating explosion. Progressive movements must urgently organize for peace and de-escalation.
Putin’s War Is Exposing the Cracks in Russia’s Communist Party
For two decades, the Communist Party has been part of Vladimir Putin’s power system, while also integrating many protest movements from within Russian society. But since the invasion of Ukraine, the party’s balancing act has become ever more precarious.
The Persecution of Azat Miftakhov Is Designed to Silence Russia’s Left
Russian anarchist Azat Miftakhov is spending his fifth year in jail for “hooliganism” — and now faces being framed on fake terrorism charges. His persecution is part of the Russian state’s campaign to intimidate the Left and silence opposition to the war.
How a Russian Nationalist Named Alexei Navalny Became a Liberal Hero
The arrest of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has sparked mass protests against Vladimir Putin's authoritarianism. Navalny's journalism has highlighted the cronyism of Russia's elites — but his chameleon-like shifts between liberalism and anti-immigrant nationalism show he's no champion of working-class Russians.
A Missile Strike in Poland Shows Why Government Agencies Can’t Be the Sole Arbiters of Truth
After a Ukrainian missile mishap in Poland, misinformation blaming Russia quickly spread. The lie came from precisely the “authoritative sources” now being treated as the arbiters of truth by social media platforms.
Ordinary Germans Don’t Want a Fight With Russia
The German government’s reluctance to join an anti-Russian bandwagon owes at least as much to commercial interests as to historical guilt. But calls for Berlin to play a stronger role in NATO should be emphatically resisted.
Russia’s Oligarchs Are Stashing Their Wealth Abroad — Just Like America’s
The techniques Russian billionaires use to avoid taxes and hide their wealth are the same ones American billionaires use. In fact, they often execute them with the help of the same Western companies.
When the Bolsheviks Created a Soviet Republic in the Donbas
The Donbas is at the heart of Vladimir Putin’s claim that Lenin divided Russia to create Ukraine. Yet the region’s real history shows how much the Bolsheviks struggled with demands for national autonomy amid the collapse of the tsarist empire.
How US Sanctions Torpedoed Kamala Harris
The Biden administration’s sanctions on Russia didn’t just tank global markets; they also helped Kamala Harris lose the election. The Democrats’ fate was sealed by a Wall Street–fueled commodity frenzy that sent gas prices and grocery bills soaring.
The 1917 Peasant Revolutions
In Russia 1917, ordinary rural people took direct action to remake their world.