Understanding the Russian Bear is never easy, but a good place to start is the brilliant podcast Next Year in Moscow. It's produced by The Economist, but there are two free episodes. One political activists says sagaciously "the past is dangerous". After the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022 - many young entrepreneurs, intellectuals, reporters and media people decided to leave Russia for Istanbul. This city has been a welcome host for Russia citizens for many years and was the case after the 1917 Revolution. Today however there is little optimism - that any time soon the ruthless, bellicose Putin will want them back. Moreover there are many who have been murdered by the state. The central issue for Russia is that - democracy, the rule of law, a free press and media are not familiar to them. This benighted country is tragically a failed state. If I was Russian I would seek another place to live, without the fear of being killed by the criminal gangs, in the Kremlin.
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