Flash Points: What’s going on inside Russia?

Inside Moscow’s wartime domestic politics. JUNE 4, 2023  |  [VIEW IN BROWSER](     Mark Harris illustrations for Foreign Policy “I came of age as the borders of the Soviet Union collapsed and Russia embraced the West,” historian Anastasia Edel [wrote]( in March. “Back then, it seemed that after a decades-long totalitarian detour, Russia had finally found its true path—that of a free, democratic country. Now I’m forced to revise, yet again, my assumptions about what Russia is and what it will become.” In this edition of Flash Points, historians, journalists, and analysts examine Moscow’s propaganda machine, the books Russians are reading, the country’s fascist youth, and more to piece together what’s been going on inside Russia since its invasion of Ukraine.—Chloe Hadavas   [1]( [A Day Inside Putin’s Surreal Television Empire]( How the nonstop blare of Russian state media fuels the war effort—and blurs reality. By Anastasia Edel   [2]( [For Russians, Reading Is the New Resistance]( What bestselling books tell us about how Russians are processing the war. By Andrei Kolesnikov   [3]( [Russia’s Frighteningly Fascist Youth]( A new generation of Russians glorifies war, death, and Vladimir Putin. By Ian Garner   [4]( [Why Isn’t Russia a Democracy?]( The country wasn’t preordained to despotism or a clash with the West. By Lucian Kim   [5]( [Staring Down the Black Hole of Russia’s Future]( A Ukrainian victory may be the country’s only chance at long-term salvation. By Anastasia Edel   [Register Now: FP Global Health Forum 2023]( Explore the current trends shaping global health, and discover ways to improve global health resiliency in the face of inequity, conflict, and climate change. [Join us on June 13th.](   [Subscribe to Foreign Policy]( [Open up a world of insight]( [Take on the world with Foreign Policy. Get daily analysis at the intersection of politics and international affairs, plus the full digital archive from 1970 to today.]( [SEE OFFERS](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( You’re receiving this email at {EMAIL} because you signed up for FP's Flash Points newsletter. [MANAGE YOUR EMAIL PREFERENCES]( | [VIEW OUR PRIVACY POLICY]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Reach the [right online audience]( with us. Foreign Policy is a division of Graham Holdings Company. All contents © 2023 Graham Digital Holding Company LLC. All rights reserved. Foreign Policy, 655 15th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC, 20005.