Part one of this article, published on Tuesday, focused on the origins and justifications of the Russian nationalist opposition. This part, also by Emma Rimpiläinen, looks at how the nationalist agenda could be interpreted, and how it could do more harm than good. The Interpretation As already mentioned earlier this week, the nationalists see the current … Continue reading
Author Archives: vostokcable
A state of their own: the Russian nationalist agenda
With Russia’s main protest movement enfeebled and Vladimir Putin’s leadership apparently secure, opposition to the regime is growing more radical. In this article, Emma Rimpiläinen assesses the origins of Russian nationalism and their potency in today’s Russia. The Phenomenon Many observers of Russian politics are familiar with the trend of intensifying Russian nationalism, embodied in President Putin’s … Continue reading
Sino-Russian relations: where’s the catch?
The author of a new paper on Sino-Russian relations has written that the fallout from the Ukraine crisis threatens to make that relationship “even more lopsided than before”. Vostok Cable’s Josh Black explores the current state of play, and asks whether the deepening financial ties between the two countries mask an ideological divergence. As part … Continue reading
Ideology in the time of the Donbass war: “fascism” and “fascist anti-fascism”
The war that broke out in the Ukrainian eastern region of Donbass a year ago is being fought on multiple levels. In the stalemate, news reports can be mightier than kalashnikovs, so few actors are neglecting their propaganda efforts. Giovanni Cadioli explains why historical memory plays such a dominant role in the conflict, and particularly … Continue reading
Russia: a shifting monetary policy and an elusive inflation target
This year could be remembered as yet another when the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) failed to prove to the business community that it is ready to support the country’s growth agenda and bring inflation under control. As Russia’s economic destiny filters down to a question of confidence and geopolitical risk, could inflation targeting be … Continue reading
The Non-Proliferation Treaty at 35: A To-Do List
Next week states will begin gathering in New York for a review of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. With the US and Russia both committed to modernising their stockpiles and relations between the two at their lowest ebb for a generation, Elizabeth Zolotukinha predicts a contentious meeting. The upcoming Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of … Continue reading
Tsoi, Drugs and Soviet rock
The Needle and the Kazakh New Wave in the context of late Soviet cinema To follow up on the film and music event dedicated to the legendary Soviet musician Viktor Tsoi and his band Kino, Inese Strupule from Obskura discusses The Needle (1988), Tsoi’s rock persona, the Kazakh New Wave, and their place in the … Continue reading