During the review period, Russia’s political system continued its long-standing trend of degenerating from electoral authoritarianism into an autocratic regime. Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine in 2022, domestically labeled a “special military operation,” led to stringent laws suppressing freedom of speech, association, and assembly. Protests against the war and the partial mobilization have been met with harsh state suppression.
The Russian economy is increasingly state-controlled. To mitigate Western economic sanctions following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the government established a special commission to enhance the stability of the Russian economy in February 2022. Socioeconomic development has been slowed by widespread corruption and an extensive shadow economy.
To maintain its interpretation of national greatness, Russia prioritized its security interests by trying to build buffer zones along its western and certain southern borders. To rally society under wartime conditions, the Russian leadership implemented measures to reduce pluralism and imposed stricter penalties for dissent through a comprehensive set of federal laws and presidential decrees. In foreign policy, Russia promoted multipolarity and exceptionalism among great powers such as China and the United States.
