Is This A Story?

 The Post catalogues what we already know: Putin's Russia becomes less free every day. This has been true since at least 2008, when Putin stepped down as President and became Prime Minister, centralizing power in his person as opposed to any office.

As Putin centralizes power, he has come into sharper focus for the general unhappiness of the Russian people. For decades, Putin has allowed a little dissent in Moscow and Petersburg. He lets some marchers march while arresting others. He allows for a few small free media outlets. He keeps a solid hold on rural and interior Russia.

The problem is that Putin was able to finance his Russia regeneration with high gas prices that no longer exist. Russia population is sick and declining. Russian GDP per capita is lower than China's and their economy is growing a considerably slower rate. At Purchasing Power Parity, the GDP per capita is lower than Malaysia, and most of the former Stalinist states of Eastern Europe. It is a vastly unequal country as well.

Putin's long standing tolerance of a nominal opposition was designed to bleed away just enough discontent so that there would be no widespread unrest. As he cracks down more and more, the pressure from within will build. We have seen a similar dynamic in Ukraine and now Belarus. 

Russia is presuming, rightly, that the Biden administration will be much harder on Russia than Trump - Putin's lapdog - was. Biden will be able to do real damage to the Russia economy, which is already fragile. And while we have seen a general trend towards right wing populist authoritarianism in Hungary, Turkey, Brazil, the Philippines and the US, those regimes ultimately have to resort to authoritarianism to maintain control. As they trend into authoritarianism, they are unable to respond to a changing world. 

Biden will also need to find a way to empower opposition groups in ways that don't trace back to the US. Russia has been able to exert itself outwards because we didn't push back for four years. Now we need to fuck with them.