Founded as a section of openDemocracy.net in 2008, oDR (openDemocracy Russia) seeks to connect Russia and the post-Soviet space to the rest of the world. It offers a non-partisan platform for marginalised voices within the region, for people to tell their stories to the outside world, and a space for arguments that are either censored or left behind by mainstream discourse, whether in the east or the west.
Latest posts by openDemocracy Russia
In Russia, an ongoing battle for the future of science
Fear, self-censorship and job insecurity are leading to ethical violations in the country’s universities and scientific establishments.
What can we expect from Russia at COP26?
As COP26 continues, Open Democracy asks experts whether the Kremlin’s latest moves on climate, including its 2060 net-zero target, heralds genuine change or more greenwash.
Cats, crows and planet Earth: drawings by Belarusian political prisoners
Drawings sent to friends and family by Belarusian political prisoners, detained in a crackdown after the 2020 elections, provide an insight into their lives.
Campaign to brand Russian journalists and media ‘foreign agents’ picks up pace after elections
The effects of Russia’s ‘foreign agent’ legislation against media and civil society have been direct and deeply troubling. They are now, in effect, deemed ‘enemies of the people’.
‘New schemes of deception': Russian election observers report on the voting
"Of course, all elections are held with violations, but these were held with record numbers of violations!"
Russia blocks popular website for worker complaints
Antijob, an online database of anonymous complaints about Russian employers, has been blocked by censors following a defamation case brought by a Moscow real estate firm.
Crimean Tatar leader's arrest latest in crackdown on political activism in Crimea
The arrest of Crimean Tatar political leader Nariman Dzhelyal is a grim reminder of the reality of Russian annexation of Ukraine's Crimea.
‘Our homeland is where the money is': pragmatic citizenship in Tajikistan
Every year, thousands of Central Asian citizens try to overcome the restrictions attached to the citizenship they acquired at birth and apply for a Russian passport.
The Russian Government ‘Embraces’ Transparency
Russia is finally embracing transparency—so long as it poses no threat to political stability, writes Andrei Jvirblis in this openDemocracy Russia overview of the Kremlin's open government efforts.
