Russia

Russia Launches New Offensive in Ukraine

Russia launched a new offensive near Kharkiv, amidst continuing questions about Ukraine’s ability to mobilize enough manpower to blunt Russian advantages. FPRI President Aaron Stein sat down with Senior Fellow Rob Lee on May 13, 2024 to discuss the...

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The Baltic States Mark Two Decades of NATO Membership

Indra Ekmanis: Hello, and welcome to Baltic Ways, a podcast bringing you interviews and insights from the world of Baltic studies. I’m your host, Dr. Indra Ekmanis. And today we speak with Dr. Lucas Milevski, a tenured assistant professor...

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Government vs. the People in Georgia

In April of this year the Georgian government submitted to parliament a controversial “foreign agents law,” sparking massive anti-government demonstrations in Tbilisi. Tens of thousands of Georgians took to the streets protesting what has been dubbed the “Russian law,”...

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Kyrgyzstan: Central Asia’s Island of Democracy Sinks Into Authoritarianism

Executive Summary In the early 1990s, Kyrgyzstan was often referred to as an “island of democracy” in Central Asia. The “island’s” shores have receded over the years, but relative to its neighbors, Kyrgyzstan remained the most democratic country. Three...

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Niger’s Pivot to Moscow: What’s Next for US Engagement in Africa?

On March 12, a delegation of US officials arrived in Niamey in a highly anticipated meeting on the future of US-Niger relations. The entourage of high-level US diplomats and military officials included the AFRICOM Commander General Michael Langley, Assistant...

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The Technological Pivot of History: Power in the Age of Exponential Innovation

Just as Halford Mackinder, in his seminal work The Geographical Pivot of History, argued that control over the Eurasian heartland held the key to global mastery, the world stands at the precipice of another pivotal shift—one driven not by...

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Russian Women in the Face of War Against Ukraine

  Introduction Consider the following pieces of a puzzle. Russia’s war against Ukraine has revealed stories about the heroic resistance efforts of Ukrainian women: from a grandmother launching a pickle jar against a drone to volunteers with territorial defense...

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Crocus City Hall Concert Attack

On Friday, March 22, an attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow killed or wounded hundreds of people. The assault was the deadliest act of terrorism in the Russian capital in more than a decade. The...

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The Fire That Didn’t Burn: Transnistria’s Unanswered Call for Russian Support

On February 28, the legislature of Transnistria, a pro-Russia, de facto independent state internationally recognized as part of Moldova, appealed to Moscow for “protection” from the pro-European government in Chisinau. This preceded Russian President Vladimir Putin’s annual address the...

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Putin’s Warped Idea of Russian History

The total wartime losses of Russia and Ukraine are difficult to estimate. Neither country publishes accurate data, exaggerating the enemy’s losses and downplaying their own. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Ukraine allegedly lost 406,000 people killed and...

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