The magic is fading.” Russians, it seems, have never been this unhappy with the authorities...

“The magic is fading.” Russians, it seems, have never been this unhappy with the authorities. Alexander Baunov on how Putin became a burden and why people feel his fear

Dissatisfaction with Putin’s regime reached its peak in 2026. There is a split among the elites, and no one knows how to end the war.

At the same time, life for Russians is not getting better, but rather the opposite. The war has now actively reached the Urals as well, while the FSB is meanwhile finishing off Russia’s internet, already blocked on all sides as it is.

Alexander Baunov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, reflects on how the authorities have once again violated their own unspoken pact with society and what this may lead to.

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