Shaun Walker
Fresh Minsk
Often called Europe’s last dictatorship, Belarus has embarked on a PR mission to fix its image. With its strong-armed leadership still in place, are the changes anything more than cosmetic?
Deep freeze
Russia’s boom years raised the profiles of its ‘second cities’, nowhere more so than in Ekaterinburg. But as cranes fall silent, local entrepreneurs insist the good times are not over yet.
To russia with love
Following the Georgian war, the breakaway territory of Abkhazia has been recognised by Russia. Now, despite limited credibility, it wants the trappings of statehood, from embassies to a state airline.
War on truth
In the South Ossetia conflict, both Georgia and Russia managed media access, making the truth elusive. Monocle’s correspondents reported from both sides to navigate the maze of misinformation and reveal the real story.
New woman
Veteran broadcaster Irena Lesnevskaya, editor-in-chief of opposition news magazine The New Times since 2007, is a Russian dissident who has stayed in her country to speak out against Kremlin corruption.
City editor
Soviet planning and modern speculators have left many Russian cities at crisis point. But property billionaire Sergey Gordeev plans to turn impoverished Perm into a beacon of urban innovation. Is this a new revolution?
Uphill struggle
Sochi, a Black Sea resort popular with Putin, was a surprise choice to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. To prepare for one million visitors, the region needs new roads, hotels and infrastructure.
Presenting the nation
A boom in state-funded English news channels aims to transmit a country’s brand alongside the news. We report on these new broadcast empires and ask if it's propaganda disguised as programming.
Power struggle
Sakhalin, in Russia’s far east, is a short hop from Japan, its former ruler. Marooned during the Soviet era, the region has seen little investment or spoils from its own huge oil reserves.
High energy
In our circumpolar tour, we visit Murmansk. After the USSR's collapse, the city declined. But now the promise of Arctic riches from energy and new sea routes is sparking a revival.
