The cover of the 29 May edition of the Guardian Weekly magazine features a composite image by Guardian Design and Alexander Kazakov/Kremlin. The edition asks: Has Putin lost the trust of his people? It also explores the legacy of 'America's Mona Lisa'. The Guardian Weekly is available for home delivery.
Inside the 29 May Guardian Weekly
Like most Western news organizations, the Guardian has had no correspondent or reporter in Moscow since the invasion of Ukraine. However, the Kremlin's efforts to block outside media coverage have not prevented the Guardian from gauging Russia's political climate. As Pjotr Sauer and Shaun Walker report, attempts to isolate the country have eroded Vladimir Putin's support among both elites and ordinary citizens.
Drawing on contacts built over years of work inside Russia, Sauer and Walker detail a shifting mood as the invasion enters its fourth summer, with economic and personal costs increasingly felt at home. One insider notes 'profound disappointment in Putin' and 'a growing sense that some kind of catastrophe is looming.'
The narrative of a bunkered ruler surrounded by fearful underlings historically leads to coups or revolutions, but the analysis shows that while domestic winds may be chilling, Putin remains far from being ousted from power.
The Guardian hopes to return to reporting from Russia on the ground, and both Sauer and Walker would relish the chance to be back in Moscow under a different regime. Until then, their expert analysis and insider contacts are invaluable.
Five Essential Reads in This Week's Edition
Spotlight | Ebola: 'Out of Control' A new virus strain, aid cuts, and conflict in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have hindered efforts to stop the spread of Ebola, report Prosper Heri Ngorora in Goma and Carlos Mureithi.
Science | Here Be Monsters An exhibition, Jurassic Oceans, at London's Natural History Museum showcases fearsome prehistoric sea creatures and offers a stark warning about warming waters' impact on marine ecosystems today. Matthew Pearce dives in.
Feature | When the Lights Went Out in Berlin Earlier this year, a power cut affected a large area of Berlin. A shadowy group, Volcano Group, claimed responsibility. Theories of eco-terrorism, Russian meddling, and far-right activity have flourished, discovers Ben Knight.
Opinion | Victory Doesn't Happen Overnight Arsenal's careful planning to regain the Premier League title offers a lesson in long-term thinking that the Labour Party, and Arsenal fan Keir Starmer, should heed, argues Jonathan Freedland.
Culture | Back to Black with Whistler Restoring Arrangement in Grey and Black No 1, or Whistler's Mother, reveals insights about the artist who heralded a century of great American painters and the craft of painting colour, uncovers Sarah Walden.
What Else We've Been Reading
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert ended its run as the top network TV late-night show. Production editor Neil Willis found the appreciation of Colbert's show a fitting tribute to a host who made sense of the second age of Trump with decency and calmness.
Retention executive Lewis Fendick was moved by Danny Stewart's story of a commute that became a life-changing moment when he found a baby abandoned in a train station, a reminder that unexpected turns can lead to happy endings.
Other highlights from the Guardian website: Audio: Heatwave hell – are soaring temperatures the new normal? Video: Lebanon divided – Hezbollah, Israel and the cost of resistance. Gallery: Tour groups, temporary routes and toilets – the reshaping of Rome. Interactive: On the world's longest golf course, the dog-legs might be dingoes.
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