Russia Beyond Supervillainy
In Russia, Vladimir Putin’s evil genius matters less than pressures from the ultrarich, US foreign policy, and the ravages of the neoliberal Yeltsin years.
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Since Boris Yeltsin, Russians Have Been Living in an Imitation Democracy
After the Soviet Union’s fall, the West backed Boris Yeltsin as a paragon of democracy, even as his administration rigged elections and empowered a new capitalist class. Now, under Vladimir Putin, the crisis of Russia’s democracy is only intensifying.
Russia’s Social Breakdown Isn’t the Product of a Unique National Psyche
Russia’s atomized citizenry and dysfunctional economy are often blamed on a unique national psyche. Yet the social breakdown in modern Russia is best explained in terms of its recent history, and the Soviet leadership’s failed response to its crises.
Russia’s War Shows the Chaos in the World Order
Economist Branko Milanovic saw firsthand the soaring inequality of Russia’s 1990s transition to capitalism. He spoke to Jacobin about how Vladimir Putin’s war has plunged the country back into crisis — and placed a bomb under the globalized order.
Israel and Russia Have No Place in the 2024 Paris Olympics
The International Olympic Committee has declined to curtail Israel’s involvement in the 2024 games and has placed half-hearted limits on Russia. The IOC claims it opposes the politicization of sport — but the Olympics are a historically political institution.
From Russiagate to Gunboat Diplomacy
Russiagate hysteria is already being used to push Trump into an act of armed aggression against Venezuela. It's a disastrous result of a pointless delusion.
The Question of Russia and the Left
Making political hay from attacking Donald Trump as Vladimir Putin’s puppet is both wrong and dangerous.
Trump the “Putin Puppet” Just Dramatically Escalated the Undeclared War Against Russia
The national security state has claimed a dangerous new victory: receiving authorization from Trump to conduct cyberattacks against enemies around the world with greater leeway — especially Russia. It’s the latest success for a years-long pressure campaign by the national security bureaucracy centered on Orwellian claims that Trump’s foreign policy is somehow pro-Russian.
In Russia, They Don’t Read Lenin Anymore
Soviet symbols are widespread in today’s Russia, including in propaganda for the war in Ukraine. But in the classroom, the Soviet legacy is reduced to a nationalist cult of World War II, while burying even the notional idea of a more equal society.
Russia’s War Is a Failed Answer to Its Demographic Crisis
For decades, Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia is on the path to extinction. His war has killed untold numbers of people — but it’s also an attempt to force millions of people into Russian citizenship.
Russia Shows How Fascist Ideas Can Triumph Over an Atomized Society
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s coup attempt demonstrated the conflicts within Russia’s elite — but also the great political passivity of the general population. In today’s Russia, a fascist cult of violence has taken root in an atomized, demobilized society.
Adam Curtis Talks to Jacobin About Russia, Oligarchs, and the Fall of the USSR
Acclaimed filmmaker Adam Curtis talks to us about his latest film, Russia 1985–1999: TraumaZone, the fall of the Soviet Union and the war in Ukraine, and the massive upward transfer of wealth to a tiny elite in both the East and West.
In Russia, Too, Capital Is Painting Itself Green
Given its powerful oil oligarchs, it’s easy to assume Russia is the quintessential climate denier. Yet the rise of corporate ESG policies in the country suggests Russian capital wants to greenwash just as much as its Western peers.
Western Sanctions on Russia Aren’t Working as Intended
The US-led sanctions on Russia were meant to force an end to Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine and weaken his hold on power. Instead, their main effect has been to exacerbate the West’s own economic problems and deepen its internal divisions.
A Ukrainian Socialist Explains Why the Russian Invasion Shouldn’t Have Been a Surprise
Vladimir Putin uses the language of “demilitarization” to pursue an aggressive imperial policy against Ukraine. In an interview for Jacobin, a Ukrainian socialist explains the falseness of the Kremlin’s pretexts — and why the war could drag on for years.
Russia Isn’t Winning the War — But Its Leaders Are Doubling Down
As Russian troops rain terror on Ukrainians, Vladimir Putin’s ministers claim they want a negotiated peace. But with victory out of reach, the Kremlin’s war is turning to the home front, to quash dissenting antiwar voices within Russia.
Incredibly, Joe Biden’s Russia Policy Is Reasonable
You wouldn't know it from the belligerent media coverage, but so far, despite his record as a tough-talking anti-Russia hawk, Joe Biden has been taking US policy toward Moscow in a surprisingly reasonable direction.
Biden’s Escalation With Russia Over Ukraine Is a Terrible Idea
Western governments are being called on to send more weapons to Ukraine — an arms buildup that will only escalate a potentially disastrous conflict. What we really need is a comprehensive peace settlement for the region.
In Russia, Communists Are Standing Up Against Putin’s Fraud
In Russia’s general election, the Communist Party surged to a strong second place. But the party’s rise has also made it a target for Vladimir Putin’s government — including through Putin's massive interference in the electoral process.
Strangling Russia’s Economy Won’t End Putin’s War — But Could Be Disastrous for Civilians
The latest Western sanctions mean “total economic and financial war on Russia,” according to a European finance minister. There’s little reason to hope this will stop Putin’s war — but it will bring a longer-term attrition that mainly hurts ordinary Russians.