In their new book, Non-Democratic Federalism and Decentralization in Post-Soviet States (London: Routledge 2024), Irina Busygina and Mikhail Filippov demonstrate how federal institutions and decentralization become integral parts of authoritarian political systems. Comparing three largest post-Soviet countries—Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan— they explain how these regimes use federalism and decentralization to maintain control, limit political accountability, and shift blame to regional authorities when national authorities consider it expedient (such as during the coronavirus crisis in 2020-2021). They also discuss the role of center-regional relations in Russia’s ongoing war and Ukraine’s ability to resist Russian aggression.