Daria Boll-Palievskaya

Düsseldorf

Daria Boll-Palievskaya is a freelance journalist and author. She is an editor of the independent online newspaper russia.NEWS and writes for Zeit Online and MDR, among others.

Articles

Democracy and society | 27.02.2026

Russia devours its own children

From ministers to comedians, Moscow’s sweeping repression shows that visibility and loyalty no longer guarantee immunity from state persecution

Democracy and society | 30.10.2025

Who’s afraid of guitars?

Russia’s fear of music reveals a deeper panic — the loss of control over its youth

Democracy and society | 08.05.2025

Longing for peace: how the Kremlin co-opted Victory Day

What once was the most important and sacred national holiday for Russians has become a day of shame

Democracy and society | 12.11.2024

Maternity by mandate

Faced with a sharp population decline, the Russian government is frantically seeking ways to push women into having more children

Democracy and society | 20.06.2024

Playing God in Putin’s Russia

In Russia, denunciations are on the rise. Society is stoically accepting the relapse into Stalinism

Democracy and society | 15.03.2024

Dreams of a bygone era

Russia is on a quest for ‘traditional values’, where calls for family and patriotism clash with Soviet nostalgia and historical revisionism

Democracy and society | 26.01.2024

When God supports your war

The Russian Orthodox Church appears to display ever closer links to Putin’s regime and the war — losing followers in the process

Democracy and society | 04.01.2024

Russia’s women rise up

Thousands of Russians were drafted for the war in Ukraine. But discontent amongst women at home is growing. Can the protest be dangerous for Putin?