In addition to obsolete catchwords such as ‘the last dictatorship in Europe’ or ‘the reserve of the USSR,’ Belarus is often referred to as a mirror image of Russia. Against the backdrop of Lukashenka’s potential ousting, how does the Russian political elite make sense out of the August events?

Sergey Naryshkin, Russian chief of Foreign Intelligence Service, seems to be very concerned about the condition of his young compatriots. In order to maintain contact with them, he proposed to establish a “link" between state and popular rappers based on governmental funding. However absurd this proposal might seem, it is still better than censorship – which again appeared above the surface.

On September 1st the first bell rang and Russian pupils all over the country returned to classrooms. Every year the so-called Knowledge Day marks the end of summer and the beginning of the new school year. However, this year the end of holidays was different, as it was accompanied by agitation surrounding the upcoming Duma election, the campaigns for which did not spare educational institutions. School principals, teachers and pupils with them, were taken over by the election fever.