Edward Lucas, the Economist's Central and East Europe correspondent, writes about a disappointing conversation with former prime minister and opposition politician Mikhail Kasyanov: “That seems very odd to me. Russia is increasingly nasty at home and abroad – and the main pro-western challenger for the presidency says that we shouldn't defend its victims, for fear of making things worse. It's a familiar tune from the past (‘give us what we want or it'll get much nastier’). But here it is again, coming from rulers and opposition alike.”