Archive of Dissidents among Dissidents

Perspectives on Russia's history and the wider geopolitical landscape, featuring Tony Wood, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Ilya Budraitskis, and more.

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, with horrifying consequences, our need for a deeper understanding of the conflict increases. In this reading list Tony Wood, author of Russia Without Putin: Money, Power and the Myths of the New Cold War, selects five books that question Russia's foreign policy and evolving nationalist ideology, as well as the wider geopolitical tensions at play.

In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we spoke with Ilya Budraitskis about the political context of the attack, Putin’s military and political goals in the short and long term, and the response so far from the Russian citizenry. Why were so many on the Left surprised by the extent of the military action, and, finally, how might we express solidarity right now?