The Sinking of the Kursk
Even though more than a month has passed since the Kursk submarine abruptly sank in the Barents Sea on August 12, very few aspects of the tragedy have been explained…
Consolidation of the State and Economic Policy Scenarios Under Putin
Russia is currently on the edge of a third stage of economic and political reform. The first stage (1985-1991) was political liberalization. Transformation of the communist political and ideological regime…
Still Hobbling Along: An Update on the Russian Banking System
In the aftermath of Russia's August 1998 financial crisis, many observers had hoped that genuine reform and restructuring would occur in the Russian banking sector. Unfortunately, almost two years after…
The Dictatorship of Law in Russia: Neither Dictatorship, Nor Rule of Law
During the course of the 2000 presidential campaign, Vladimir Putin announced the idea of a "dictatorship of law" as a core part of his presidency. His pre-electoral message and state…
Putin and the Provinces
Since Vladimir Putin became Prime Minister of Russia in August 1999, and especially since he assumed the presidency on December 31, he has placed a high priority on reasserting federal…
Russia’s Policy on Nonproliferation Under Putin
On April 24, 2000, in New York, the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference will open to review continued implementation of the treaty. This is the first conference of the signatory…
The Essence of Putinism: The Strengthening of the Privatized State
As Russia moves further along the path of semi-authoritarian rule, studying the mindset and beliefs of the Kremlin dwellers again becomes important. The logic of Russian politics remains, as before,…
Putin and the Military: How Long Will the Honeymoon Last?
Russian President Vladimir Putin aggressively wooed the man in uniform during his victorious campaign for the Kremlin, from the time of his appointment as prime minister in August 1999 until…
START and the ABM Treaty: Is a Compromise Possible?
As the Clinton administration's term comes to a close and a new president has been elected in Russia, the United States and Russia are realizing that their arms control negotiation…
Can Putin Rebuild the Russian State?
During his first year as president, Vladimir Putin has repeatedly declared that the rebuilding of the Russian state is his very highest priority. Indeed, on this score there is now…
Foreign Policy Under Putin: Pro-Western Pragmatism Might Be a Greater Challenge to the West
As Russia prepares for early presidential elections, the foreign policy strategy of the most likely winner–acting President Vladimir Putin–is the subject of much speculation. Will he be pro- or anti-Western?…
The Unintended Consequences of Anti-Federalist Centralization in Russia
Since becoming the Acting President of the Russian Federation in late 1999, Vladimir Putin has spoken with utmost clarity about his concern for the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation…