Vladimir Putin News
The Daily Signal provides reporting on Putin’s role in Russian aggression, war strategy, and his influence on U.S.–Russia relations, NATO, and international security.
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- Opinion
Russian Olympics Cheating Is Emblematic of the Nature of Putin’s Regime
The Games of the XXXI Olympiad open tonight in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As you watch the parade of nations, you may notice Russia’s contingent of Olympians is noticeably smaller. That’s because well over 100 Russian athletes have been banned from competing in the Olympics for their use of performance-enhancing drugs. In December 2014, the…Daniel Kochis -
- Opinion
How Putin Hoodwinked the Political Right
It’s easy to see why Vladimir Putin has emerged as the lodestar of certain elements of the political right across the West. Russia’s president poses as the champion of nationalism vs. rampant transnationalism, of Christianity vs. secularism, and of European identity in general. These are battles that set conservatives’ teeth on edge. The political left…Mike Gonzalez -
- News
‘Back to the Soviet Era’: Putin’s New Law Could Lead to Religious Crackdown
In signing a new anti-terrorism law, Russian President Vladimir Putin could have authority to crack down on non-government-aligned churches, said Archbishop Andrew (Maklakov), administrator of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church of America. The law that Putin signed on July 6 restricts religious proselytizing and imposes heavy fines for doing so. While the law exempts the…Fred Lucas -
- News
Could Putin Face Resurgent NATO? Russian Aggression a Top Issue for Obama’s Final Summit
Increased Russian aggression will be among the central issues when President Barack Obama attends his final NATO Summit in Warsaw, as the United States and its allies will announce a stronger security presence in the Baltic states. “NATO must be the largest deterrent to Russian meddling,” Thomas Donnelly, a senior fellow in security studies at…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
NATO Sends Clear Message to Putin
Thousands of American troops have been taking part in a large-scale military exercise on NATO’s front-line state of Poland, which borders Vladimir Putin’s Russia, its close ally Belarus, and war-torn Ukraine. The message is unmistakable—letting Moscow know that the U.S. and its allies take its treaty obligation to defend Eastern Europe seriously. The 10-day Polish…Brad Chojnacki -
- Opinion
Putin Has Imperial (Not Soviet) Aspirations
Whoever wins the race to the White House is going to have to deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin from day one. Hopefully, the next U.S. president will learn from the mistakes of the past. One of the biggest foreign policy follies of the Obama administration was the so-called Russian “reset.” In March 2009, Hillary Clinton…Luke Coffey -
- Opinion
Putin Ups His Persecution of Social Media Users
The Kremlin has started cracking down with increasing severity on users of social media who dare to criticize the state of affairs in Russia or who parody Russian leader Vladimir Putin. For the crime of posting a picture of a tube of toothpaste with the caption “Squeeze Russia out of yourself,” Andrei Bubeyev was sentenced…Helle Dale -
- Opinion
Our Next President Must Stand Up to Putin
Whoever takes over the White House in 2017 will face an aggressive, revanchist Russia that is a threat to the United States and our allies. No amount of wishful thinking can obscure this fact. Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas region of Ukraine is just one example in a long list…Daniel Kochis -
- Opinion
Obama Administration Once Again Concedes to Putin in Syria
Washington has succumbed to another diplomatic mirage: the Russian promise of a limited pause in the intensifying war in Syria. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that they had agreed to an arrangement to “accelerate and expand” deliveries of humanitarian aid to starving civilians in besieged areas, to be…James Phillips -
- Opinion
A Chilling Account of Vladimir Putin’s Brutal Regime
For anyone who ever harbored doubts about the brutal nature of the Russian regime, an afternoon reading the newly published British report of the death of defected Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko should be a frightful reminder of the ruthlessness behind the Putin regime. Litvinenko defected to Britain in 2000, after becoming a whistleblower and bold…Helle Dale -
- Opinion
Putin Is Developing an Underwater Drone With Nuclear Weapons That Can Target US
Russia is developing a drone submarine that can deliver a nuclear warhead or dirty bomb (targets electronics) at U.S. coastal areas. Russian officials confirmed the existence of the program – dubbed Kanyon by the Pentagon – after images of a document detailing plans for the sub were broadcast on Russian state-run television. According to the document,…David Poortinga -
- Opinion
Russia Admits Plane Brought Down By Bomb But Putin Won’t Make Defeating ISIS Top Priority
Russia’s intelligence services have finally admitted what most have already suspected: that a bomb brought down the Russian commercial airliner over the Sinai Peninsula last month, killing 224 innocent holiday goers. It is unclear who the culprits are. Two employees from Sharm el-Sheikh airport have been arrested, and Russia has announced a $50-million reward for…Luke Coffey -
- Opinion
Putin Begins Propaganda Blitz to Sell his Syrian Bombing Campaign
The Russian government has launched an all-out media campaign to sell its involvement in Syria to the Russian people. On all official television channels (which are pretty much the only ones in Russia that count), viewers have been subjected to a nonstop barrage of the Russian bombing campaign over the past two weeks. Bombers are…Helle Dale -
- Opinion
Putin Is Not a Child. Obama Should Stop Treating Him Like One.
In last Friday’s press conference, President Obama called Vladimir Putin’s incursion in Syria “an act of weakness.” It’s his pat answer when Putin misbehaves. The White House likes to portray the Kremlin as a place filled with petulant children who don’t understand what’s in their own best interest and will one day rue their misguided…James Carafano -
- Opinion
Putin’s Syrian Gambit Exposes Flaws in Obama’s Naive Foreign Policy
Russia’s aggressive military intervention in Syria poses major problems for the United States, its allies, and the future of Syria. It is likely to make a bad situation worse by propping up the Assad regime, intensifying the fighting, and driving more Syrian refugees out of the country. Secretary of State John Kerry doggedly tried to…James Phillips -
- Opinion
Poland Is Key to a Safe Europe, and Putin Knows It
Good news in Eastern Europe is hard to come by these days with Russian President Vladimir Putin playing the bully in Ukraine and elsewhere, along with tens of thousands of fleeing Syrians and other Muslims seeking refuge in Europe. But I can report that an organization of young conservative Poles, committed to economic freedom and…Lee Edwards -
- Opinion
Putin Looks to Remove American Influences From Russia
Last week the Russian government added one more issue to its growing heap of disputes with the United States. By pulling the plug on the U.S. sponsored America Center hosted at M. Rudomino All-Russia State Library of Foreign Literature in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin has subtly moved against the U.S. According to a press…Helle Dale -
- Opinion
Putin Doubles Down in Syria
Civil war has left Syria a country in name only. The UN counts at least 270,000 people killed and a million more injured since fighting began in 2011. In the first eight months of 2015, half a million refugees from Syria and beyond have flooded Europe. It is a serious crisis, and both Russian President…Daniel Kochis -
- Opinion
How to Combat Putin’s Propaganda War
The war is on. Russian President Vladimir Putin has unleashed a vast information network across Central and Eastern Europe, as well as within the European Union. This network uses a very developed and coordinated use of social media networks and traditional news media outlets, as well as influence among European politicians, like former German Chancellor…Helle Dale -
- Opinion
Putin Expands Russian Navy As America’s Fleet Shrinks
President Vladimir Putin set a new course for the Russian navy recently. While presiding over “Navy Day” in Baltiysk, Russia, he formally approved changes to Russia’s naval doctrine. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin announced the new naval doctrine at the Baltiysk naval station. Located in the strategically important Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, the installation…Ian Button