author

 
 

Meta

Andrei Kolesnikov
For Andrei Kolesnikov's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 15, 2022
Do most Russians support the war in Ukraine?
Opinion polls show that a majority of Russians support the actions of the Russian armed forces in Ukraine. But for many, it's probably less a matter of conviction than of conformity.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 2, 2021
Putin is losing the battle for Russia’s future
Since Russians began protesting opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s imprisonment, the security forces have apparently had carte blanche to arrest demonstrators — and they have done so by the thousands. If Russians so much as honk their car horns in solidarity with the protesters, they risk personal repercussions. The official response to the protests goes beyond the Kremlin’s past repression. It is war.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 24, 2019
Putin's art of the purge
The recent arrests and imprisonment of numerous regime figures have fueled a pervasive sense of fear among Russia's elites
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 2, 2017
The October Revolution in post-truth Russia
With the centenary of the October Revolution this year, the clash between Russia's official history and the memories of the people will move to the center of public life.
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 7, 2016
The secret of Putin's survival
Crimea's 'return' to Russian control had a profound effect on public sentiment — one that seems to have strengthened Vladimir Putin's grip on power, even as Russia faces deepening political and economic challenges.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 4, 2015
Putin has taken a crooked road to Damascus
Vladimir Putin's Syrian adventure is yet another appeal to Russian nostalgia for the Soviet past as a way to maintain his support and distract the public from problems closer to home.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 11, 2015
Why do Putin and his cronies look so nervous?
The Kremlin's successful campaign to build a besieged fortress has imprisoned its chief architect.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 18, 2015
Russia's totalitarianism 2.0
The Putin regime's approach can best be described as 'hybrid totalitarianism.'
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 1, 2015
Why economic sanctions on Russia don't work
The more the West increases its economic pressure against Russia, the less likely it becomes that Russians will engage in dissent against the Putin regime.

Longform

High-end tourism is becoming more about the kinds of experiences that Japan's lesser-known places can provide.
Can Japan lure the jet-set class off the beaten path?