In a new PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo, Laura Henry, Valerie Sperling, and and Lisa Sundstrom weigh challenges facing Russian activists-in-exile, arguing Western support for those whose networks extend into Russia could be particularly effective. As for other things the West might do, Peter Rutland finds the Russian Federation’s dissolution improbable and pushing for it counterproductive, while David Szakonyi and co-authors conclude the UK’s efforts to combat dirty money have made “Londongrad” less attractive.

Rutland says elsewhere that the International Criminal Court’s well-documented evidence of Putin’s culpability—including for the “unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children”—should boost Ukraine’s morale and embarrass the Russians. For Renée de Nevers and Brian Taylor, Russia’s “naked attempt to recolonize Ukraine” is a throwback to the age of imperialism that violates the norm of territorial integrity. And Maria Snegovaya calls today’s situation a “new Cold War” if indeed the first one ever ended.

Among a wave of newly released studies, Debra Javeline’s new book surveys over 80% of living victims of the 2004 Beslan hostage crisis to show anger does not necessarily trigger more violence and can instead generate a surge of peaceful political participation. Caress Schenk cautions against taking official Russian data on migrants at face value. And the latest issue of Post-Soviet Affairs, guest-edited by Tomila Lankina and including articles by many PONARS Eurasia members and others, debates the future of Russian studies and finds “the war has exposed some blind spots in our knowledge.”