The verdict on local self-government will be carried out by governors
A new law on local self-government took effect in Russia, significantly altering the structure of local governance.
Originally designed to eliminate the two-tier system, the final version of the law made some concessions, but the end of local self-government as it was known seems inevitable.
Andrey Pertsev analyzes the reform’s early impact.
Read more … The verdict on local self-government will be carried out by governors
A great friendship? Russian propaganda and German elections
Russian “soft power” is a hot topic in both Russian and foreign media.
How effective actually is it? And what are the Kremlin’s fake publications up to in Germany?
Historian Ewgeniy Kasakow, author of the book "The Special Operation and Peace", analyzes the Kremlin’s main strategies and achievements in its fight for a German audience.
Read more … A great friendship? Russian propaganda and German elections
Georgy Filimonov: Authoritarian experiment in Vologda
The governor of Vologda Region has become infamous for his controversial and ideologically driven approach to governance.
A total ban on abortion, a dry law and the erection of a monument to Stalin are just some of Filimonov's initiatives.
In this analysis, REM delves into how Filimonov’s rise reflects a shift in the Kremlin’s broader vision for regional politics.
Read more … Georgy Filimonov: Authoritarian experiment in Vologda
Repression in numbers: Three years of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine
In February 2025, human rights organization OVD-Info published a report documenting key trends in political repression against anti-war activism in Russia.
The report sheds light on statistics of criminal and administrative cases related to anti-war activities over the last three years.
REM publishes an abridged version of the report.
Read more … Repression in numbers: Three years of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine
Election update XI
As Russia prepares for the 2026 State Duma elections, Kremlin dismantles local self-government system.
More on this in our monthly digest covering the main election developments in February - early March 2025.
“Foreign agent” filter for parliamentary opposition
The Russian Ministry of Justice is increasingly labeling members of systemic parties as 'foreign agents' — targeting prominent regional politicians who lose their parliamentary mandates and the ability to participate in elections.
Andrey Pertsev explores how this will change the new composition of the State Duma and the party system.
Read more … “Foreign agent” filter for parliamentary opposition