Winds of Change: 28 Years of Post-Soviet Independence
As of 2020, many Central Asian and Eastern European states are still led by demagogues and united by the common threads of conflict, cronyism, and dubious elections.
Read more
Putin
Putin Consolidates Russian Government in Sudden Power Play
During his yearly address on January 15, President Vladimir Putin proposed constitutional changes that would guarantee his absolute authority after his fourth term officially ends in 2024. In response to the address, Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced that he and the other government heads planned to resign.
Read morePutin’s Party Suffers Defeats in Local Elections
Russia’s ruling political party, United Russia, lost almost one-third of their seats in the Moscow city assembly during elections held on September 8.
Read moreRepercussions Only Risk Escalating Conflict
In the weeks before the downing of MH17, rebel media outlets bragged about their ability to shoot down Ukrainian military planes. The day of the tragedy, the rebel Twitter account posted pictures of planes they had shot down in the past, then deleted them shortly after the missile fired.
Read more