Analytics

Putin signed plans to return people to the occupied territories. Are they realistic?

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin signed a decree approving the concept of the Russian Federation's state migration policy for 2026-2030, which summarizes migration processes over the past six years and outlines plans for migration to Russia for the next five years. Among them is the influx of people into Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. Donbas. Realities (a Radio Liberty project) studied this document: here are some interesting facts about the aggressor country itself and what it says about the occupied part of Ukraine.

Russia has been preparing Shahed launch base since 2014

The expansion of the Korenovsk airbase directly correlates with Russia’s annexation of Crimea and the so-called “Russian Spring” in the Donbas region.

Russia cancels Army-2025 defense forum

The forum had been scheduled to take place on August 11-14 in Patriot Park near Moscow. It was cancelled likely, amid fears of Ukrainian drone strikes

Russia Conceals Demographic Data that Point to Deeper Social Strains

Since March 2025, Russia’s Federal Statistics Service (Rosstat) has stopped publishing monthly regional statistics on key demographic indicators such as births, deaths, marriages and divorces.

Alternative (Video) Reality: YouTube Blocked in Russia and Why It Matters to the Kremlin

At the end of 2024, Russia enacted a complete ban on YouTube. This move is clearly part of the Kremlin’s broader strategy of information isolation. The government has already blocked various messengers and social media platforms and is planning to prohibit audio calls via internet services. At the same, Russia continues replacing independent platforms with state-controlled alternatives that promote “correct” content aligned with Kremlin policies.

Without the Right to Resist: Russia’s New Nuclear Doctrine Pressures Ukraine to Surrender

On November 19, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree approving a document titled “The Fundamentals of the State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Field of Nuclear Deterrence.” The decree outlines scenarios under which Russia might launch a nuclear strike, including cases of “aggression against the Russian Federation or its allies by any state supported by a nuclear power.” It also extends to large-scale non-nuclear attacks, such as those involving drones or cruise missiles.

Torture, geopolitics, pressure. How and why the Kremlin has been using famine for almost 100 years

BRICS Summit in Kazan: Why Did the Participants Travel to Russia?

The BRICS summit began in Kazan on October 22, 2024, under Russia's chairmanship, with official events starting on October 23. Nearly all heads of BRICS member states attended in person, except for Brazil's president, who joined via video link due to an injury.

Syria, Talibs, junta. How Russia is growing its influence in BRICS

Syria's turn to apply for BRICS membership. This decision, like several similar ones, is adopted on the eve of the member countries summit, which will be held at the end of October in Kazan, Russia. Syria's intention is curious in the context of Afghanistan’s earlier application, and Palestine’s plans to join as well. What is Russia’s interest in these actions, and how can they aid Kremlin’s role in global politics?