Kamil Galeev (@kamilkazani)

On Trump's birthday Let's have a look at these four guys. Everything about them seems to be different. Religion. Ideology. Political regime. And yet, there is a common denominator uniting all: Xi - 71 years old Putin - 72 years old Trump - 79 years old Khamenei - 86 years old ...

Mass repressions are misunderstood. Pretty much every mass repression (e.g. the Great Purge) includes: 1. Small scale, individually targeted, highly precise hit job against the political opponents 2. Mass scale, poorly targeted carpet bombing style massacre of the common folk...

Having lived in China, studied in China, worked in China and travelled around China, I came to the conclusion that I don’t understand China at all. For me, China is truly a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Utterly and uncompromisingly incomprehensible. ...

In August 1999, President Yeltsin appointed his FSB Chief Putin as the new Prime Minister. Same day, he named him as the official successor. Yet, there was a problem. To become a president, Putin had to go through elections which he could not win. He was completely obscure....