Anton Barbashin
@abarbashin.bsky.social
Russia foreign and domestic politics. Editorial Director at ridl.io
Although Russia has tried to project strength in Transnistria to offset vulnerabilities exposed by Ukraine’s drone campaign, Transnistria will continue to gravitate toward Moscow as long as benefits of its relationship with Russia outweigh those it could obtain from West. ridl.io/status-quo-u...
Status Quo Under Pressure: Transnistria After 2022 – Riddle Russia
Denis Cenusa on how the war in Ukraine has changed relations between Russia and Transnistria
ridl.io
It's unlikely to happen, but who could get rid of #Putin? Listen to another episode of my 🎙️ #podcast, #TheGlobalAgora. I talked to @abarbashin.bsky.social. ▶️ podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/and... #Russia #Putinswar #Ukraine
It's unlikely to happen, but who could get rid of Putin? by The Global Agora
Is Vladimir Putin's grip on power weakened amid Ukrainian strikes? Can we expect a big mobilization in Russia? Will the upcoming Duma elections be totally faked? And while it's unlikely to happen, who...
podcasters.spotify.com
Could a Wildberries Collapse Trigger a Banking Crisis in Russia? ridl.io/burn-warehou...
Burn Warehouses, Crash Banks? – Riddle Russia
Oleg Loginov on the fallout from attacks on Wildberries, "Russia
ridl.io
Last week we at ridl.io published a mini-series "Ukrainian Long-Range Strikes on Russia’s Oil Sector in Spring–Summer 2026" Vakhtang Partsvania explains how these strikes are turning oil refining into the weakest link in Russia’s war economy ridl.io/how-ukraine-...; 1/3
How Ukraine’s Campaign Against Refineries Is Reshaping Russia’s War Economy – Riddle Russia
Vakhtang Partsvania explains how Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries are turning oil refining into the weakest link in Russia’s war economy
ridl.io
Based on the recent dynamics, the tone of discussion about mobilisation among Russia experts has shifted from “hell no” to “well, maybe”
Even Russian state-aligned polls indicate an increasing anxiety among Russians. How close to the March 2022 figures. Ukraine is finally reaching out to to a large audience in Russia
Putin is stepping up his public appearances as part of United Russia’s Duma campaign aiming to boost party’s image. Yet instead of offering any calming or de-escalatory promises, he can’t help but speak very favorably about continuing the war in Ukraine ridl.io/putin-s-pro-...
Putin’s Pro-War Justifications – Riddle Russia
Andrey Pertsev’s weekly political roundup (July 27−31)
ridl.io
RU economy is undergoing its worst contraction of investment since 2009. That the figures are not worse underscores degree to which defense firms and state enterprises are propping up aggregate data along with last pockets of resilience among consumer-oriented private firms ridl.io/pride-comes-...
Pride Comes Before the Fall – Riddle Russia
Nicholas Trickett’s economic summary of the week (July 27 — 31)
ridl.io
"By design, the Ukrainian air war on energy infrastructure is intended to intensify the contradictions of the Russian wartime economy". And it is succeeding. New @ruboyinthehood.bsky.social for ridl.io ridl.io/prodding-ope...
Prodding Open Wounds: Ukraine’s War on the Russian Oil & Gas Sector – Riddle Russia
Nicholas Trickett on how Ukraine’s strikes on Russian refineries are deepening the contradictions of the Kremlin’s wartime economy
ridl.io
It is this loss of faith — not the inability to refuel a tank or a missile — that could become the most serious challenge facing the Kremlin under current conditions ridl.io/a-strike-aga...
A Strike Against Loyalty, Not Against the Tanks – Riddle Russia
Vladislav Inozemtsev on the Consequences of Russia’s Fuel Crisis
ridl.io
How does China view Russian foreign policy concepts? Do they share Russia’s vision of “multipolarity”? Is Russia’s war in Ukraine and its confrontation with the West a “blessing” or a problem for China? What kind of “ideal Russia” does China envision for itself? www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9Ad...
Что сегодня Китай думает о России - RussiaTalkS02E29 (Алексей Чигадаев)
YouTube video by Russia Talk
youtube.com
How does China view Russian foreign policy concepts? Do they share Russia’s vision of “multipolarity”? Is Russia’s war in Ukraine and its confrontation with the West a “blessing” or a problem for China? What kind of “ideal Russia” does China envision for itself? www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9Ad...
Что сегодня Китай думает о России - RussiaTalkS02E29 (Алексей Чигадаев)
YouTube video by Russia Talk
youtube.com
Ukraine’s campaign against Russia’s oil industry has moved the war into a new economic dimension. Oil continues to generate revenue, but refining has become a weak link. The government retains control, but it is forced to pay an ever-higher price for that control. ridl.io/how-ukraine-...
How Ukraine’s Campaign Against Refineries Is Reshaping Russia’s War Economy – Riddle Russia
Vakhtang Partsvania explains how Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries are turning oil refining into the weakest link in Russia’s war economy
ridl.io
Is Trump good or bad for Putin's vision of multipolarity? The answer is not straightforward. Check out my latest for ridl.io on why in Russian discourse Trump simultaneously exists as the best "multipolarity advocate" and not that at all ridl.io/trump-and-ru...
Trump and Russian Multipolarity: Weighing the Pros and Cons – Riddle Russia
Anton Barbashin on the upsides and downsides of Trump’s presidency for the Kremlin
ridl.io
Ukraine’s campaign against Russia’s oil industry has moved the war into a new economic dimension. Oil continues to generate revenue, but refining has become a weak link. The government retains control, but it is forced to pay an ever-higher price for that control. ridl.io/how-ukraine-...
How Ukraine’s Campaign Against Refineries Is Reshaping Russia’s War Economy – Riddle Russia
Vakhtang Partsvania explains how Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries are turning oil refining into the weakest link in Russia’s war economy
ridl.io
Is Trump good or bad for Putin's vision of multipolarity? The answer is not straightforward. Check out my latest for ridl.io on why in Russian discourse Trump simultaneously exists as the best "multipolarity advocate" and not that at all ridl.io/trump-and-ru...
Trump and Russian Multipolarity: Weighing the Pros and Cons – Riddle Russia
Anton Barbashin on the upsides and downsides of Trump’s presidency for the Kremlin
ridl.io
Check out ridl.io new piece on how Russia is eliminating Ukrainian history on the occupied territories by "restoring one true version of history" of the Imperial/Soviet past ridl.io/the-return-n...
The Return Narrative: How Russia Legitimizes Occupation – Riddle Russia
Maksym Panchokha on the work of Russian Military Historical Society in occupied Ukraine
ridl.io
Check out ridl.io new piece on how Russia is eliminating Ukrainian history on the occupied territories by "restoring one true version of history" of the Imperial/Soviet past ridl.io/the-return-n...
The Return Narrative: How Russia Legitimizes Occupation – Riddle Russia
Maksym Panchokha on the work of Russian Military Historical Society in occupied Ukraine
ridl.io
Volodin goes full Zhirinovsky in the Duma’s closing act: slamming emigrés as “scoundrels, traitors & degenerates,” pushing a harsh bill against them, and floating military training for MPs—all to steal the spotlight and impress Putin before the term ends ridl.io/volodin-in-t...
Volodin in the Role of Zhirinovsky – Riddle Russia
Andrey Pertsev’s weekly political roundup (July 20−24)
ridl.io
Check out ridl.io ongoing series "Transformed by War: Russia’s Partners Since 2022". Now with articles on China, Iran, Venezuela, Sub-Saharan Africa, Israel, Armenia, Gulf States and Kyrgyzstan. More to be published soon. ridl.io/category/tra...
Transformed by War: Russia’s Partners Since 2022 – Riddle Russia
ridl.io
So Trump tariffed Russia expects to USA at 10%-12%. Russia won’t even notice that. Exports to USA is less than 1% of the overall exports volume. This is not pressure of any kind. Just making extra cash for the USA
You might expect #Russia-#Iran trade to have increased substantially after 2022. However, it only rose from roughly $4B in 2021 to over $5B in 2025. Trade with Egypt grew from $4.8B to $10.5B and trade with UAE rose from $5.4B to $14B over the same period. ridl.io/iran-and-rus...
Iran and Russia: An Incomplete Alliance with Unclear Prospects – Riddle Russia
Nikita Smagin on Russia-Iran relations after 2022
ridl.io
35 minutes meeting between Lavrov and Rubio is not enough time to share options on the state of war and peace talks positions let alone discuss them
Muscovites have become the most pro-war Russians, with only 36% supporting negotiations with Ukraine. By comparison, support for negotiations stands at 65% inrural areas, 61% in small towns, and 63% in other large cities. How did this happen? www.kennaninstitute.org/articles/loy...
Loyal Moscow, Restless Russia — Kennan Institute
Today, dissatisfaction with the war, frustration with the authorities, and a desire for peace are concentrated primarily in the regions, while Moscow now stands apart for its markedly more statist and...
kennaninstitute.org
A provoking @storyevtime.bsky.social for Ridl.io on the state of decolonisation in Central Asia. Arguments vs. facts on the ground ridl.io/what-decolon...
What Decolonization? – Riddle Russia
Dan Storyev on Russia’s Enduring Dominance in Central Asia
ridl.io
Here is a great explainer on how Russia - China relationship changed since 2022 and what should be expected for the next 5 years ridl.io/china-and-ru...
China and Russia: An Alliance Without Obligations – Riddle Russia
Alexey Chigadaev on Russia-China relations after 2022
ridl.io
Here is a great explainer on how Russia - China relationship changed since 2022 and what should be expected for the next 5 years ridl.io/china-and-ru...
China and Russia: An Alliance Without Obligations – Riddle Russia
Alexey Chigadaev on Russia-China relations after 2022
ridl.io
A provoking @storyevtime.bsky.social for Ridl.io on the state of decolonisation in Central Asia. Arguments vs. facts on the ground ridl.io/what-decolon...
What Decolonization? – Riddle Russia
Dan Storyev on Russia’s Enduring Dominance in Central Asia
ridl.io
You might expect #Russia-#Iran trade to have increased substantially after 2022. However, it only rose from roughly $4B in 2021 to over $5B in 2025. Trade with Egypt grew from $4.8B to $10.5B and trade with UAE rose from $5.4B to $14B over the same period. ridl.io/iran-and-rus...
Iran and Russia: An Incomplete Alliance with Unclear Prospects – Riddle Russia
Nikita Smagin on Russia-Iran relations after 2022
ridl.io
Quick update: earlier today I was “arrested in absentia” in Novosibirsk, Russia
Anton Barbashin@abarbashin.bsky.social · 3w agoI am now officially on Russia's wanted list. It was not unexcepted and always a question of time. Russia state does not like what we do in ridl.io If you want to support us, please consider donating, reading and sharing the content that got me on the wanted list liberapay.com/ridl.io/donate
