No miracles
The Russian leadership was extremely disappointed with the recent turn of the US–Russia relations. Despite a productive presidential meeting, the congressional decision to increase sanctions was clear evidence of no positive change to be expected any time soon. That came as a shock and insult to the Kremlin, which chose not expect any improvement and canceled all its prior efforts to mend the relationship.
Increased military presence in the Baltic Sea increases risk that currently neutral countries will side with NATO. Therefore, President Putin visited Finland to ensure that Helsinki does not change its neutral status because it feels threatened by Russia.
Sixteen federal entities are preparing to elect local governors in September 2017, yet no real competition is expected in the elections. The Presidential Administration carefully ensured that local elites do not oppose candidates supported by the Kremlin, while the “non-systemic” opposition led Alexei Navalny chose to ignore the elections and focus on Navalny’s presidential campaign ahead of March 2018.
An unprecedented number of Russians are considering leaving the country in the next year or two. The emigration level has remained relatively stable, especially among people with higher education, but now people are turning their dreams of leaving into specific plans to be carried out rather soon.
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