Generation Putin

November 01, 2019

A law known as the "sovereign internet" bill came into force in Russia. It aims to tighten state control over the the internet, which free speech activists say will strengthen government oversight of the country's cyberspace.

In 'The Humorist,' Soviet comedy is no joke

The World

September 19, 2019

Michael Idov's new film, “The Humorist,” captures the oxymoronic nature of state-sanctioned Soviet comedy and the downfall of the system through the eyes of character, Boris Arkadiev.

Protest

Eco-protesters fight Moscow’s attempt to ‘trash’ Russia’s north

The World

September 12, 2019

The fight over Shiyes — a remote railway outpost in Russia’s Arkhangelsk Province that is to play host to a giant landfill — first erupted a little over a year ago after local hunters came across a secret construction site deep in the region’s forests.

Elections

‘Smart vote’ protests in Russia deal Putin’s party a blow in elections

The World

September 09, 2019

At the suggestion of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, many anti-Putin voters decided to vote for anyone other than a candidate from Vladimir Putin's party — even candidates that voters might otherwise find distasteful — in Russia's municipal elections.

Generation Putin

Russia’s rap scene: No place for politics

The World

June 28, 2019

Rap is now mainstream in Russia. The sound is everywhere: in clubs, on the radio and in stores. But despite a culture of speaking out on issues in the West, why do many rappers in Russia avoid talking about the country’s big problems?

Generation Putin

Marco Werman: A Cold War baby visits Putin's Russia

The World

June 28, 2019

Marco Werman visited Russia for the first time earlier this year. In Moscow, he saw the careful editing of Soviet history and the rise of Western commercialism.

Generation Putin

After decades in the shadows, Russia's feminists grab their spotlight

The World

June 05, 2019

Russia's feminists are fighting to be heard in a country where most think there are bigger problems than gender inequality.

Generation Putin

Russia's youth flex their political power

The World

June 04, 2019

Not everything revolves around politics for young Russians — life is more than being pro- or anti-Putin for the vast majority — but for some, politics dominates their lives and what they hope is their future.

Generation Putin

Russia’s volunteers take on the state — and its workload

The World

June 03, 2019

A growing number of Russians are volunteering time to help solve issues facing the country — issues that the Russian state is not taking on itself.

Generation Putin

'If not I, then who?’: Armed with the internet, Russia’s young people want to remake their world

The World

May 31, 2019

A generation who has grown up under President Putin begins to take its place in Russian politics.