Rewind and Reconnoiter: Public Politics in the Wartime Russian Dictatorship with Julian Waller

Early last year, Julian Waller wrote “Public Politics in the Wartime Russian Dictatorship” for War on the Rocks, in which he argues that Russia is becoming a regime that is “being outflanked and carefully challenged by a diverse set of ‘patriotic’ voices who are making open, public claims to political legitimacy and a place in the decision-influencing arena.” A year later, in the wake of President Putin’s fifth election victory, we asked him to look back on his article. Read more below. Photo Credit: Russian Ministry of Defense In your article “Public Politics in the Wartime Russian Dictatorship” written in Jan. 2023, you argue that Russia