Researcher Sofia Gavrilova examines the shift in narratives seen in the recent Georgian parliamentary election, especially around the issues of Russia and the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and explains why Georgia’s traditional victim identity might be changing.

Journalist Alexander Golts looks at recent changes to the system of compensation for wounded soldiers, arguing that they mark the first serious signal that the Kremlin’s resources to wage its war of aggression in Ukraine are drying up.

Historian Mikhail Suslov look at the variations in how Church leaders, intellectuals and activists talk about the war in Ukraine and explains why they do not speak in one voice.

Journalist Vladimir Ruvinsky argues that amid the war in Ukraine and the labor shortage in Russia, the Russian government has shifted its approach to pensioners – they are increasingly on their own to provide for what Putin calls a “decent old age.”

Historian Rustam Alexander chronicles how Russians have gradually come to view psychological and psychiatric issues as socially acceptable topics. With the war in Ukraine dragging on, demand for antidepressants in Russia has jumped.

Sociologist Denis Volkov breaks down October surveys by the Levada Center showing low interest in the US presidential election among Russians. While there is more support for Trump, people generally remain skeptical about his ability to improve US-Russia relations and end the Ukraine conflict.

Journalist Tatiana Rybakova argues that private business in Russia is increasingly under pressure, which threatens to undermine the market mechanisms essential to the stability of the entire Russian economy.

Economists Vladislav Inozemtsev and Borukh Taskin look at ballooning fiscal spending on subsidized mortgages and possible government measures to solve the problem.

Journalist Tatiana Rybakova discusses how the Kremlin, in search of ways to pay for rising defense expenditures, is extracting more and more money from its subjects, including new taxes, heavy fines and property seizures.

Sociologist Anna Kuleshova spotlights Russian artists in exile, who, while dealing with the challenges faced by all emigrants, have managed to unite many of their compatriots living abroad and are changing the public image of their home country.

Publisher Vladimir Kharitonov looks at rising book censorship in Russia, describing the tools used to get rid of “bad” books and explaining how current practices differ from Soviet times.

Tequilajazzz is a rock band from St Petersburg founded in 1993 by people from the Leningrad Rock Club. The group has become a symbol of Russian alternative music. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it halted its activities in Russia, and its leader Yevgeny Fedorov openly condemned the aggression.

Historian Sergey Chernyshov outlines how Ivan the Terrible’s capture of Kazan in the 16th century has been viewed throughout the centuries and reflects on what Tatarstan’s recent ban on events to mark the exact date mean for Tatar identity.

Based on her research, Vlada Baranova claims that the war in Ukraine has led to the ethnicization of conflicts and confrontation between the federal authorities, perceived as “Russian,” and the indigenous population. Language and environmental activism is becoming more tinged with nationalism, as well.

Based on her conversations with protesters in Bashkortostan, sociologist Guzel Yusupova analyzes the nature of the recent protests in the region. She argues that they were fundamentally not about nationalism or separatism – rather, people rose up to express their outrage over injustice and corruption.

Following Wagner’s mutiny in June 2023 and Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death, the Russian government sought to replace the group in international operations in the Middle East and Africa. Antonio Giustozzi and David Lewis examine the shifts in Russian policy based on a series of interviews with Wagner personnel and other informed interlocutors.

In recent years, Georgia's ruling party has been shifting the country toward Russia, putting its long-standing cooperation with Washington and Brussels at risk. Nicholas Castillo examined the reasons behind this shift.

Moscow’s return to the Middle East rests on three main pillars: arms exports; access to military bases; and use of its private military companies, such as the Wagner Group.