Eurotopics.net

"Putin's palace" is still very much a hot topic. Last week, Navalny's team released a documentary about a bombastic luxury residence on the Black Sea. After nationwide protests, Putin commented on the palace in a live broadcast with selected students. But journalists are unconvinced and make their own snide comments about his statements.

Despite fierce debates about the delivery problems in the EU, the vaccines from Russia and China have barely been discussed as a solution. Hungary has now purchased two million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine and granted it emergency approval. Turkey opted for the Chinese Coronavac a while ago. Commentators take different views on whether these are viable alternatives.

Commentators continue to be impressed by the fact that Russia-wide demonstrations for Navalny's release continue - despite a ban on public gatherings and freezing temperatures. They discuss how Ukrainians assess the protests, why tensions will remain high in Russia and what Putin's recent appearance at a university is all about.