The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL.
The Daily Vertical is a video primer for Russia-watchers that appears Monday through Friday. Viewers can suggest topics via Twitter @PowerVertical or on the Power Vertical Facebook page.
A transcript of today's Daily Vertical can be found here.
NOTE TO POWER VERTICALISTAS: I will be travelling to Kaunas, Lithuania, from December 18 to December 20 to speak at the opening ceremony of the Andrei Sakharov Research Center for Democratic Development at Vytautas Magnus University. No Power Vertical products will appear on those days. The regular schedule resumes on Thursday, December 21.