Not long ago the Kremlin evidently believed that extending its forward policy into the lands separating it from key rivals - from the United States in particular - by aligning itself with the Chavez/Maduro dictatorship in Venezuela, and doing so through its control over Russian oil producers, was a low cost option. The United States, … Continue reading Rosneft Caves in to U.S. Sanctions

On 25 March at the Council of the Federation, Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, known for excessive boasting about his own achievements that has not escaped criticism, albeit veiled in the Russian media, has called for press censorship over defence issues. For him the freedoms accorded by the constitution were merely a luxury, a fleeting … Continue reading Defence Minister Calls for Censorship

The first sign that the Wuhan virus has seriously affected Russian foreign policy appeared today with an article published six hours ago in the liberal business newspaper Vedomosti. Its correspondent, Ivan Safronov, reported that a two day visit to Syria by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu just concluded. The visit was precipitated by the urgent need … Continue reading Coronovirus Impacts Russian Policy in Syria

Now that the Russian Supreme Court has rubber-stamped the proposals effectively making Vladimir Putin President for Life, the Africanisation of Russia is all but complete, merely awaiting the mascara of a plebiscite. Mrs Tereshkova must now be so relieved (see the previous blog.) It is of no comfort for a Russia which wishes to see … Continue reading Vladimir Putin President for Life

Was it not a nice surprise that the first woman to reach outer space, Valentina Tereshkova, who landed a seat in the Duma, a grandmother just turned 83, should suddenly think of poor Vladimir Putin?  Such a neglected figure. Someone had to. "I wish to say that each one of us should help the President", … Continue reading The Africanisation of Russia Continues

The failure to agree with the Saudis on sustaining an agreed price for oil on world markets that led to a massive drop in the oil price was bound to hit the value of the rouble and no amount of assurance that Moscow knew what it was doing has made any difference. The alarm is … Continue reading The Rouble Plummets

When the Russians fell out with the OPEC cartel (the Saudis) over the future price of oil, they had not thought through the larger economic repercussions for their own economy were the Saudis to retaliate dramatically with unilateral measures directed at them to expand output. As a result the sudden, precipitate drop in prices by … Continue reading Russia Gambles with the Price of Oil

So Turkey and Russia have a ceasefire in Syria. Russian military intervention, which the Putin régime was warned against by those with some foresight, has led to endless complications and distractions for the Kremlin at a time when nothing much has been going well. Yet the siege mentality epitomised in commentary on "deep state" television … Continue reading The Erdogan-Putin Summit: Russia Counts the Cost

My enemy's enemy is my friend. It was only too apparent today, when the Russian Foreign Ministry condemned the Americans for bombing the Taliban after the latter launched further attacks on Afghan government forces, that Moscow does not actually want the Americans out of Afghanistan, even at the cost of the Russians taking the side … Continue reading Afghanistan: Russia Wants the U.S. to Stay

A not unreasonable analysis of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan published in the hardline newspaper Vzglyad ru today that seems to reflect some understanding of the complicated ethnic tapestry of Afghanistan has, however, a very odd title: "The End of the American Occupation Will Make Afghanistan an Ally of Russia." One can just imagine the hysterical … Continue reading Afghanistan: Russia’s New Ally?