If you only read one article about Russia today, we would highly recommend Peter Reddaway’s extensive analysis posted over at the National Interest (don’t worry, the tone is actually very measured).  Reddaway takes a look at the politics of the current tandemocracy power arrangement between President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, which he believes isn’t flexible enough to allow the state to respond efficiently to the economic crisis, producing some unsustainable tensions.  He argues that the growing criticism in the media is worth paying attention to, and that we could see some of the clans and elite business interests make some moves to produce changes in the leadership – which may not necessarily be in the national interest.

The takeaway message from Reddaway’s article is that there are likely some serious bumps in the road ahead for Russia’s political stability, and that this “declining cohesion” of this peculiar state model could provide the emergence of several new power scenarios, which shouldn’t be mistaken for an improvement from the status quo.

Putin faces an unenviable dilemma. He cannot depart without looking like a cowardly deserter. But staying on would likely be politically fatal. Furthermore, he may not be a free agent. As is widely rumored in the media, key actors may have damaging information on his accumulation of personal wealth or other dark deeds from the past, which they can use to direct him along the path they prefer.