Russia #FreeNavalny Protests: Toilet Brushes and Akvadiskoteka

Walter and Macon talk to Russian opposition figures and organizers affiliated Alexei Navalny's political network about the recent #FreeNavalny protests.  Why are Russians protesting? How does the opposition organize? Why is corruption such a potent issue in Russia? What does this mean for Putin's hold on power?  Walter and Macon conclude  with takeaways for U.S. policymakers and others in the West. 

Guests in this episode include: 

Irina Fatyanova, head of Navalny's St. Petersburg office Alexandr Shepelev, acting head of Navanly's Moscow office Natalia Pelevina, Russian opposition figure and member of the People's Freedom Party (RPR-PARNAS) Kaloy Akhilgov, attorney who represents many of the protesters and developer of the Advocall app Felix Light, foreign correspondent based in Moscow with the Moscow Times 

Special thanks to Russia watchers Kirill Shamiev, Margarita Zavadskaya, and András Tóth-Czifra, as well as student and protester Pavel Popov. They all provided us with background information for this episode. 

For additional reading about the protests, check out these links: 

What pro-Navalny protests tell us about Russian regions (András Tóth-Czifra) Why Russians still choose Vladimir Putin’s stability over Alexei Navalny’s revolution (Felix Light) Six myths about elections and protests in autocracies (Margarita Zavadskaya) Navalny’s return puts the spotlight back on Russia’s security services (Kirill Shamiev)