The bulletin

EVENTS
Games with the ‘municipal filter’: why there is no chance of the electoral rules being relaxed
ACTORS
The growing influence of Konstantin Chuychenko
Volodin vs. Oreshkin: a battle of Putin’s successors?
PROCESSES
The Calvey case: revenge for supporting the opposition?
Major shifts continue in Arctic policymaking

EVENTS
Putin, the FSB, the Central Bank & the arrest of Calvey
Putin’s address to Federal Assembly reveals Kremlin worries over falling ratings
ACTORS
Does Vladislav Surkov’s article mean he wants to return to a top political job, or is it a sign of vulnerability?
The government makes minor personnel changes
PROCESSES
What are the Kremlin’s fears about U.S. ‘super’ sanctions?

EVENTS
Russia lays out its position as the US suspends involvement in INF Treaty
ACTORS
The defeat of the Arashukov clan: who is behind it and where does it lead?
Aleksei Miller and the arrest of the Arashukovs
Alexander Beglov’s electoral chances: how political reality limits Putin
PROCESSES
A political crisis in Venezuela and the ambiguity of Russia’s position

EVENTS
Debt write-off: local initiative causes problems for Moscow
ACTORS
Battles over OneWeb: Rogozin, technological progress and the FSB
PROCESSES
‘Import substitution’ in information security
Data storage equipment: a monopoly for Chemesov and Usmanov?
Alternative software: the FSB, Putin’s friends and the government

EVENTS
The explosion in Magnitogorsk: political infighting and rumours of terrorism
ACTORS
A new Moscow spy story: hostage, adventurer or mastermind?
New appointments and old faces in the presidential administration
PROCESSES
Friction between Minsk and Moscow: is Russia looking to absorb Belarus?

EVENTS
The Kerch incident – Putin’s motives and the Kremlin’s fears
MAIN ACTORS
Sergei Kiriyenko – growing political influence
Andrei Fursenko and the ‘science vertical’
PROCESSES
Irritation to the relationship between Russia and the West
The Kremlin protects rappers and Sokurov, but closes its eyes to the sentencing of Ponomaryov

EVENTS
Vladimir Putin and Shinzo Abe meet in Singapore: Is Russia ready to hand over the disputed Kuril Islands?
MAIN ACTORS
GRU chief Igor Korobov died. Who is his successor?
Metropolitan Tikhon’s influence is on the increase.
Khakassia’s new governor. How will the Kremlin manage opposition-minded regions?
Aleksei Navalny creates more problems.

PROCESSES
The ‘influence centres’ of Russia’s Arctic policy

EVENTS
The Russian Government versus Oil Companies

MAIN ACTORS
United Aircraft Corporation to Be Merged into Rostec.
Yandex at Risk of “Neutralization”.
New Presidential Envoy to Northwestern Federal District Appointed.
New Zabaykalsky Krai Governor Appointed.

PROCESSES
Growing Internal Discussion of Putin-Trump Dialogue: should Vladimir Putin take a pause?

EVENTS
Orthodoxy Split: internal ideological conflicts within the Russian Orthodox Church, its relations with the State, and the vulnerability of Patriarch Kirill’s position.

MAIN ACTORS
The Magomedov Brothers.
New regional governors

PROCESSES
The exposure of Russian GRU agents and its potential political ramifications.
Political protests in Ingushetia.

EVENTS
Syria: Il-20 shot down and S-300 missile system delivered

MAIN ACTORS
Permutations in the Presidential administration
New regional governors

PROCESSES
Decriminalization of Article 282 of the Criminal Code

EVENTS
Gubernatorial elections: how the Kremlin lost campaigns and what influence the conflicts among the elite had on the defeats of candidates from the ruling party

MAIN ACTORS
Victor Zolotov against Alexei Navalny: what’s going on with Rosgvardia?
Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov’s interview: what is the point of Vladimir Putin’s strange admissions?

PROCESSES
Political consequences of the protest vote: beginning of a new phase in the transformation of the regime