Source: To the Point
In an interview with Warren Olney on To the Point, Carnegie’s Matthew Rojansky argued that anti-government protests in Moscow and the rise of political activism in Russia represent a major break from what has been a “very cynical and very detached political culture.” Many Russian citizens—including the privileged class—are frustrated with pervasive corruption, election fraud, and Putin’s blatant attempt to hold onto power and are now taking to the streets. These protests, however, do not signal the end of Putin’s Russia, Rojansky contended. Given that the “Russian people remain, broadly speaking, sort of comfortable and tolerant of authoritarianism,” he concluded that the centralized political system Putin has created will likely remain in place.