Ilya Budraitskis

Ilya Budraitskis is Moscow-based historian and political writer. He is current member of editorial board of Moscow Art Magazine, Openleft.ru and LeftEast.

Many Russians don’t want this war. The Left must unite to oppose it

Putin’s aggression has failed to galvanise support at home. Those around the world must reject his actions, argue two Russian writers

By Ilya Matveev and Ilya Budraitskis

/ 24 Feb 2022

Many Russians don’t want this war. The Left must unite to oppose it

Russia, George Floyd, and the end of the imaginary West

Why are Russians so angered by America's latest protests?

By Ilya Budraitskis

/ 12 Jun 2020

Russia, George Floyd, and the end of the imaginary West

How conservative is the Russian regime?

Russia's intensifying neoliberal policies and the accompanying conservative rhetoric are clear evidence of the prolonged crisis facing the Putin regime. RU

By Ilya Budraitskis

/ 8 Aug 2018

Can Russia’s opposition come together to fight the Kremlin’s pension reform?

While popular opinion is dead against the Russian government’s continued neoliberal line in social policy, opposition groups are competing for influence and electorate. RU

By Ilya Budraitskis

/ 27 Jul 2018

1968: a revolution too early to judge

The events of 1968 have been stripped of their meaning and are now more a symbol of capitulation than revolution. Accepting this is the first step to making its legacy relevant again. RU

By Ilya Budraitskis

/ 17 May 2018

Russia’s presidential elections: predictable results with an unpredictable aftermath

This March, Russia goes through the motions of yet another (re)election. Here are the contenders, and a few reasons why their contest may just be worth watching.

By Ilya Budraitskis

/ 29 Jan 2018

“The Putinist majority could fast become anti-Putinist”

An interview with left activist and historian Ilya Budraitskis, on dissent, politics left and right, and the “patriotic majority” in Russia today.

By Ilya Budraitskis

/ 25 Jul 2017

Alexei Navalny's campaign: effective management or grassroots movement?

Russia’s new wave of protest poses a question for those riding it: what kind of movement are they building?

By Ilya Budraitskis

/ 15 Jun 2017

Dreams of Europe: refugees and xenophobia in Russia and Ukraine

Europe’s refugee crisis has affected Russia and Ukraine in different ways — solidifying local hatreds, local hierarchies and varying views of European identity. RU

By Denys Gorbach and Ilya Budraitskis

/ 10 Feb 2017