Much of political analysis in Russia these days focuses on President Vladimir Putin’s ability to balance competing interests within the elite, while at the same time managing always-present destabilization risk through a mixture of repression, nationalism, and pandering.  But the analysis becomes confusing doesn’t it always?) when the intra-elite disputes shift between clans, competitors, and ministries, and the uncertainty of public discontent with the government moves to new and different sources.

For example, according to OVD-Info, an independent rights group monitoring arrests at demonstrations, there were approximately 228 anti-government rallies held just in the Moscow area in 2012.    While 49 of these protest actions were in support of political prisoners and 44 protests generally against Putin’s return to power, what about all the rest?  Perhaps as a definition of the fragmentation of the Russian opposition, there are dozens of different motivations bringing people out against the state – and these drivers of discontent can change and ignite at a moment’s notice.

The dire housing situation, for example, could easily become a major sore point for the government in 2013.  Consider some of the issues raised in this translation of an article published in Gazeta.ru.