Russian Politics

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Putin "cannot remain in power" – Were Biden’s words a blunder or intentional?

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Putin "cannot remain in power" – Were Biden’s words a blunder or intentional?

On the 26th of March 2022, the President of the United States of America (USA), Joe Biden, visited Warsaw to rally North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries in support of Ukraine [1]. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the end of February, the Western world had started sanctioning the aggressor rather than getting involved militarily [2]. Biden addressed the US allies in a very long speech that contained words described as surprising by some and alarming by others. This article aims at providing an alternative view of the two main narratives that address Biden’s statement that Putin cannot remain in power.

The Kremlin’s Meta-narratives: The centralized sources of Russian information warfare

The Kremlin’s Meta-narratives: The centralized sources of Russian information warfare

The exploitation of the information space of targeted countries represents an advantageous tactic for the Kremlin that levels the battlefield below the threshold of an open confrontation. The means of Russian information warfare are carefully crafted narratives used as tools to destabilize the information space of targeted countries. The narratives created by Russia are either entirely false or diluted truths void of context. This article will argue that the narratives created and disseminated during Russian disinformation campaigns do not emerge independently of existing meta-narratives. The narratives used in disinformation campaigns will be viewed as tools used on an ad hoc basis connected to one of the Kremlin’s central meta-narratives.

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Russia launches a full-scale invasion of Ukraine: How did we get here?

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Russia launches a full-scale invasion of Ukraine: How did we get here?

On February 24th, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Although evidence detected by United States (US) intelligence services revealed that the Kremlin was planning an invasion [1], the attack nonetheless came as a shock to the whole world. The war in Ukraine is the largest invasion in Europe since the Second World War which has already caused the deaths of thousands and forced millions to become refugees. In light of these devastating developments, it is essential to look back and ask how we got here. For many in the West, Moscow’s actions seem unprecedented. Unfortunately, the Kremlin’s revisionist plans have long been clear for Russia’s immediate neighbours. However, alarms raised about Vladimir Putin’s imperial ambitions were willfully refused until the Kremlin’s tanks crossed Ukraine’s border.

Я, Силовик. Rosgvardiya: The Emperor's New Guards?

Я, Силовик. Rosgvardiya: The Emperor's New Guards?

The final instalment in this series will explore Rosgvardiya the newly formed National Guard in Russia. From its creation and the roles it fulfils, to its leadership and its future uses, the National Guard of the Russian Federation is a force to be reckoned with. This article will delve into all of these themes and underline how Rosgvardiya fits into the security apparatus of the Russian Federation. Readers should ask themselves the following throughout: Is Rosgvardiya a new and improved method of maintaining the internal security, or is the National Guard the personal police of the Russian President?

Я, Силовик. The GRU

Я, Силовик. The GRU

The Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - (Главное Разведывательное Управление/Glavnoe Razvedyvatel'noe Upravlenie) - or ‘GRU’ is one of the most inconspicuous organisations imaginable. Even among the generally taciturn cohort of Russian intelligence agencies, the GRU has been remarkable in its pursuit of secrecy. Whereas an endless stream of horror stories emanated from the Lubyanka, from the Aquarium - the GRU’s headquarters built atop a mass grave - there was only ever silence. This article will explore this most secretive and dangerous of organisations, offering a detailed assessment by comparing its Cold War past and its modern identity.

Я, Силовик. The FSB: The Sword and Shield of the Federation

Я, Силовик. The FSB: The Sword and Shield of the Federation

Any talk of the Soviet Union or the Cold War inevitably includes the Soviet Committee for State Security (KGB). Just as the Russian Federation succeeded the Soviet Union, so too did a number of organisations and agencies succeed the KGB. This first article will explore one of these institutions, the Federal Security Service (FSB). Beginning with the history and how the service came to be in modern Russia, this piece will go on to explore the nominal role and functions of the FSB. It will also shine a light on the actual role played by the Federal Security Service in Russian politics and society today, as well as touch on some of the controversy that surrounds this organisation. The purpose of this article is to illuminate the FSB as a service and inspire readers to dig a little deeper into the world of the security services of Russia.