Some Western policymakers, Russian oligarchs, and prominent opposition figures portray Russia’s centralized state as durable and desirable, reinforcing Moscow-centric assumptions even as they acknowledge the dangers posed by Kremlin militarism and imperial expansion.
Russia’s borders may change over time, with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annexations, pseudo-federalism, and worsening economic pressures potentially accelerating disintegration and exposing contradictions within the federation’s existing political structure.
Regional civic movements, including Udmurt emigres’ initiative for representative self-government, suggest growing resistance to Moscow’s hyper-centralization and could eventually support more autonomous, voluntary relationships among Russia’s republics, krais, and oblasts.
by The Jamestown Foundation – Moscow-Centric Views of Russia’s Future Persist – Jamestown
