Nationalism is playing a more prominent role in Russian politics today. Both the Kremlin and anti-Putin opposition figures increasingly employ nationalist arguments, and at times compete with one another in nationalist hyperbole. Russian involvement in eastern Ukraine provided a stark illustration, as both pro- and anti-Kremlin forces marshaled nationalist arguments to make their case. But if the strength of nationalism has the Kremlin to thank for at least some of its spread, will Moscow be able to control these forces into the future? Charles Clover, the FT's former Moscow bureau chief and author of the book Black Wind, White Snow: The Rise of Russia's New Nationalism , offers a perspective on the emergence of nationalism in modern Russian politics and its likely future evolution.
