Crossword Genius

Nothing leads this writer, discontented refusnik, to back foreign government (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

kremlin

'foreign government' is the definition.
(term for the Russian government)

'nothing leads this writer discontented refusnik to back' is the wordplay.
'nothing' becomes 'nil' ('nil' can be a synonym of 'nothing'**).
'leads' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'this writer' becomes 'me' (the person who is writing these clues).
'discontented' says to hollow out the word (remove centre letters).
'to back' says the letters should be written backwards.
'refusnik' with its centre removed is 'rk'.
'nil'+'me'+'rk'='nilmerk'
'nilmerk' back-to-front is 'KREMLIN'.

(Other definitions for kremlin that I've seen before include "Seat of Russian government" , "centre of government" , "powerful red element?" , "Seat of government in Moscow" , "Moscow landmark" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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