Russians face widening internet shutdowns and controls, as security measures strain daily life, reshape digital habits, and fuel quiet public frustration.
Putin spotlights economic decline as elections near, fueling elite tensions, pressure on government, and rising influence of security services
Internet shutdowns and messaging app bans have become one of the most sensitive pressure points in Russia, contributing to a gradual decline in support for the authorities
The Russian authorities are seeking sources of funding for the growing budget deficit, while preparing to tighten fiscal discipline and mobilise resources
After four years of war, Russia has hardened into a more personalist and repressive system, adjusted its economy to prolonged confrontation, and signalled readiness for a sustained standoff with the West
The 2026 elections will not change Russia’s political course, but will complete the current reshaping of the regime and may increase its exposure to latent public dissatisfaction
Putin’s 2025 Direct Line makes clear that Russia is being locked into a present defined by war, economic constraint, and permanent confrontation with the West, with no vision for the future
Igor Krasnov’s appointment to the Supreme Court reflects the Kremlin’s effort to dismantle judicial autonomy and consolidate even tighter central control
Putin’s 2012 decrees have triggered widespread manipulation of cause-of-death data ever since, with cardiovascular deaths re-coded into other categories to meet political targets
Russia’s foreign policy is in crisis, weakened by war, ageing leadership, and a steady loss of regional influence
Russia’s economy has adapted to war but stalled. Fiscal strength masks decline as innovation and talent drain away – giving way to stagnation
Russia’s 2024–2025 reshuffle marks the start of a managed transition: Putin retains control while delegating routine governance to the State Council
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