Hello and welcome to Regions Calling, your guide to developments from beyond the Russian capital by The Moscow Times.
President Vladimir Putin last week wrapped up a tour of major cities across Siberia and the Far East, including his first-ever visit to the disputed Kuril Islands. The latter move triggered a diplomatic flare-up between Moscow and Tokyo, which claims the Soviet Union illegally seized the four islands during World War II.
Beyond its impact on Russia’s foreign relations, the tour marked the first time this year that Putin visited a city other than his native St. Petersburg or Tatarstan’s capital Kazan. (Putin’s previous lack of travel has been linked to his alleged fear of assassination, according to a European intelligence report cited by CNN and the Financial Times.)
For this week’s edition, we spoke with experts in Russia’s regional politics to unpack hidden messages and meanings behind the itinerary and topics discussed during Putin’s latest trip.
But first, a look at the latest news from the regions:
