The Russia Conference 2026: Violence in Russia

Post-Soviet Russia suffers from an enduring problem with violence. This manifests itself in various ways, from high homicide rates and widespread domestic violence to war crimes in military conflicts. When looking at various indices of violence, Russia scores significantly higher than most other countries with advanced economies. Why are the levels of violence in Russia so high, and how do they impact the country's political and economic development and its international relations? These are among the topics we will discuss at the Russia Conference 2026.  

The conference’s three panels – manifestation of violence, economic consequences of violence, and societal consequences of violence – discuss how violence shapes Russia’s political, economic and social development. These are important topics that also contribute to a deeper understanding of the consequences of the war in Ukraine for Russia’s further development.  

This year’s Russia Conference is a collaboration between the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and the National network for competence on Russia (RUSSNETT), coordinated by NUPI.  

The conference presents the main findings from the NFR-financed project Political and Societal Violence in Russia (POSOR).  

The conference will also be streamed to NUPI's YouTube channel.