Why Joe Biden’s Russia-bashing is a tactical mistake
You might not think that Geoff Norcott, the self-proclaimed conservative comedian, has something to contribute to western relations with Russia,…
The Soviet spectre haunting Afghanistan
As US and British forces pull out of Afghanistan, further victims of the ‘grave of empires’, Russia is experiencing a mix…
Lukashenko’s migrant warfare against the EU
When you have already forced a plane down with spurious claims of a bomb threat, just to arrest one dissident…
Why an EU-Russia summit was always going to fail
When Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel unilaterally proposed a European Union summit with Vladimir Putin, they managed to open deep…
The real reason Putin targeted HMS Defender
When military personnel talk of ‘theatres’ they mean a zone of conflict. Moscow seems to take the term increasingly literally,…
It's time to kick out Lukashenko's KGB thugs
While the EU agonises about whether to boycott Belarusian potash or state-owned oil companies, there is one very easy measure…
Alexei Navalny's big gamble
Alexei Navalny seems to undergoing a metamorphosis. Yesterday, we saw him attending another trial by video, looking gaunt after 24…
Putin steps back from the Ukrainian brink
After weeks building up forces in Crimea and close to the Ukrainian border — over 100,000, all told — Moscow…
The rules of Putin's game
What does Putin want? It’s more straightforward than you might think: usually the answer is ‘what he says’. It’s worth remembering…
Will Iron Felix scare Moscow’s protesters?
While in the West, the debate seems to be about which statue to topple next, in Russia it’s rather different.…
Putin's poisonous prisoner
Alexei Navalny, the man Putin tried to poison, has been sent to prison for two years and eight months — conveniently…
Alexei Navalny is getting under the Kremlin's skin
Only half a year ago the opposition leader Alexei Navalny was a non-person on Russian state media, and Putin’s opulent…
Will Navalny's gamble backfire?
For years, Alexei Navalny had been – barely – tolerated by a Kremlin that was willing to permit very limited…
Putin's New Year's resolution: survive
Even in tough times, Russia tends to put on a show to welcome the New Year, and 2020/21 is no…
Putin’s festive message: the world’s naughty, but I'm nice
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. When a reclusive figure comes bearing gifts, when the air is full…
Russians are wary of Putin's vaccine
Never one to let a bandwagon pass by, Vladimir Putin launched his own national vaccine programme the moment Britain said…
Putin's culture war
One thing we know that Putin reads is history. He’s keen on chronicles and biography of great Russians, presumably with an…
Putin prepares to send in the troops
Sometimes, Vladimir Putin just can’t help himself. Russian coverage of the popular revolution in neighbouring Belarus has been unusually even-handed,…
Why Britain is seen as the Kremlin's greatest foe
Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny is, as of writing, fighting for his life, hooked to a ventilator…
Belarus’s regime is nearing collapse
It’s hard to believe Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko will retain his half-affectionate, half-exasperated nickname ‘Batka’ (Dad) after his re-election yesterday in…
These Russian cyber-attacks are a wake up call for the UK
Days before the release of the becalmed Intelligence & Security Committee (ISC) report on Russian political interference, we suddenly started…
Putin's referendum rigging is a sign of weakness
Putin has his result. After a week of postal, online and in-person voting, his controversial package of constitutional amendments that…
The hunt is on for Putin’s successor
Putin does like to spring a surprise. The first hour or so of his state of the nation address yesterday…
