This issue of our newsletter is unusual: we look at the Russian opposition rather than the Russian power faridaily.substack.com/p/europes-do...

Russian President Vladimir Putin has barely appeared in public since the New Year, and has notably refrained from commenting on Venezuela and Iran. What Putin’s refusal to comment on events in Venezuela and Iran says about his strategy in Ukraine? 🧵

Putin has been silent about Maduro for almost six (!) days now

Realising that many are currently preoccupied with Venezuela, we would still like to talk about Russia’s rulers and the tough year 2026 ahead of them. In our first newsletter of 2026, we look at five pressing issues they are facing 👇

While things are still relatively calm and quiet, we’ve selected our top three most-read Russia stories from 2025 – and made them free to read 👇

🪖There has been a significant uptick in the number of public meetings about the Ukraine war involving President Vladimir Putin over the last three months. The Russian leader has also been seen far more often in military uniform.

❗️Top Russian officials told us that the Kremlin does not expect to regain control of $280 billion in frozen assets. The Kremlin would be open to the idea of the funds being invested in rebuilding Ukraine after the end of the fighting.

🚫 Russia goes offline Russia is undergoing a dramatic process of de-digitalisation. Under the pretext of protection from Ukrainian drones, it is evident that the Kremlin is exploiting security concerns to extend its control over the internet. Read more here faridaily.substack.com/p/putins-int...

Important tidbit from my Q&A with @faridaily.bsky.social in the context of the current peace talks. Kremlin insiders believe that Putin will not stop the war against Ukraine unless there’s “a substantial rethinking of the global security system.” Read more here👇 meduza.io/en/feature/2...

Listen to Kevin by listening to @eilishhart.bsky.social and @faridaily.bsky.social; great conversation on Russian elites. (Not entirely spared Kevin’s voice, he pops in to ask for money for @meduza.io - you should listen to Kevin about that too).

For @meduza.io’s podcast, I talked to the excellent @faridaily.bsky.social about how Putin’s war effort has changed the rules for Russia’s “old elites” and made them fear the prospect of peace. Listen now! meduza.io/en/episodes/...

Great conversation here. Naked Pravda listeners are spared my voice and idiocy this week, with my most excellent colleague @eilishhart.bsky.social running the show and @faridaily.bsky.social offering sharp insight into how it all went so wrong for Russia’s elites.

“The elite and the government are preoccupied with how the war will end,” I told The Economist's Kate de Pury. In this longread, she explores the Russian elite transformation and how some are taking advantage of the situation to break into this so-called elite

Russian President Putin delivered a geopolitical rant last week, which appeared to crystallize a new foreign policy direction. These were Putin’s first public comments on foreign affairs for several weeks, and he made it abundantly clear that Europe—not the US—is now Russia’s primary adversary

❓What lies behind the resignation of Putin confidante Dmitry Kozak ❓How a sluggish economy has forced the Russian government to raise taxes ❓Why it will be even harder to gauge what Russians think about the war in Ukraine Find out in our latest issue faridaily.substack.com/p/fewer-unco...

tried to answer the main question open.substack.com/pub/faridail...

📌 Newsletter alert! Our main political story is about the draconian online censorship law requested by the security services. We also discuss the Central Bank announcing its deepest interest rate cut since 2022 as fears grow that the economy is cooling too fast faridaily.substack.com/p/online-cen...

Our second edition is out! The main story focuses on an extraordinary event for post-Soviet Russia—the suicide of a government minister. We have spoken to our sources in the Russian elite to gauge their response faridaily.substack.com/p/ministers-...

🟥 please welcome the first edition of our new English-language newsletter—your essential guide to Russian politics and economics. this time our main stories are about why Putin picks Trump over Iran and DME airport ownership saga subscribe and spread the word! faridaily.substack.com/p/putin-pick...

New biweekly English-language newsletter coming from @faridaily.bsky.social, Margarita Liutova, and co. The focus will be Russian politics and economics. open.substack.com/pub/faridail...

hi there, the change is coming. stay tuned!

on Thursday will be talking to the great Keith Gessen about Russian politics and journalism harriman.columbia.edu/event/talkin...

wow, this is exactly what our sources in the Russian elite were feared of – when two old men will piss each other off. from our latest faridaily.substack.com/p/putin-sign...

Hi there! New piece here faridaily.substack.com/p/putin-sign...

Putin has indefinitely postponed his State of the Nation address, which is supposed to happen by the end of February. Sources tell @faridaily.bsky.social that it's because he's too busy with the U.S. negotiations and prep for Trump's visit to Moscow. t.me/faridaily24/...

The latest newsletter from @faridaily.bsky.social offers an excellent breakdown of changes unfolding in Russia’s system for issuing mobilization exemptions. If Putin orders another round, these new rules could make the war in Ukraine profoundly more “felt” back home. meduza.io/en/feature/2...