All branches of the Russian government – and that includes the Russian Orthodox Church, which, entirely unconstitutionally, has become one of them – are fomenting a deep moral and ethical crisis in this country. The symbols of this crisis are the trial of the punk group Pussy Riot and persecution of protesters who took part in the meetings on Bolotnaya Square on 6th May 2012. I use the word 'symbols' advisedly since these recent events have only served to illuminate much deeper processes that started long ago in Russia. [Read more]