Russian servicemen of the Northern Fleet's Arctic mechanised infantry brigade participate in a military drill on riding reindeer and dog sleds near the settlement of Lovozero outside Murmansk, Russia January 23, 2017. Photo Credit: Lev Fedoseyev/Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation/Handout via REUTERS By: Ashley Postler, Columnist In 2007, Russia captured the world’s attention … Continue reading Contextualizing Russia’s Arctic Militarization
Category: Russia
Private Military and Security Companies as Tools of Strategy
Photo by: Pexels.com By: Nikolai F. Rice, Columnist Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) are the modern iteration of private force. Despite a two-century anti-mercenary norm PMSC proliferation has been facilitated by global political, economic, and warfare evolutions.[i] This article briefly examines why and how the United States, Russia, and China rely on and support … Continue reading Private Military and Security Companies as Tools of Strategy
Russian Cyber Operations: Closing the Gap on U.S. Conventional Supremacy
Photo Credit: Getty Images By: Madison Creery, Columnist Last year the U.S. National Defense Strategy highlighted Russia as a central challenge to U.S. national security.[i] Yet, during that same year headlines across the globe predicted Russia’s military modernization program and international influence would soon decline.[ii] A May 2018 announcement claimed that Russia’s 2017 defense budget … Continue reading Russian Cyber Operations: Closing the Gap on U.S. Conventional Supremacy
Diplomatic Spillover Costs Make Leaving the INF Treaty Too Dangerous
Photo Credit: CNN By: Kathryn Long, Columnist On Friday, December 14th, the Russian Mission to the United Nations announced that it had submitted a resolution to the body’s General Assembly in support of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.[i] This follows the October announcement by President Trump that the United States would be exiting the … Continue reading Diplomatic Spillover Costs Make Leaving the INF Treaty Too Dangerous
Russia Strategic Understanding of Cyber: Not an Information War – A War on Information
Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov at a military academy reception. Photo Credit: Mikhail Klimentyev/AFP via Getty Images By: Madison Creery, Columnist Although Russia’s latent cyber capabilities are only ranked sixth in the world, Russia is the second most active state in the realm of offensive cyber operations.[i] … Continue reading Russia Strategic Understanding of Cyber: Not an Information War – A War on Information
Managed Stability in Russia’s Inner Abroad: Demonstrations in Ingushetia
Ezri National Park, Ingushetia. Photo Credit: Fair Observer By: Kristina Drye, Columnist Russia seems to have chosen to distance itself from disturbances in its ‘inner abroad,’ such as the recent border dispute in Ingushetia, but it cannot afford to ignore signs of discontent in the long term. By ignoring popular discontent, by letting local leaders … Continue reading Managed Stability in Russia’s Inner Abroad: Demonstrations in Ingushetia
The War of Ideas: Advocating for a Stronger US Information Warfare Capability
The U.S. should establish and adequately resource a 21st century equivalent to the USIA. Above is USIA's 20th Review of Operations from January 1st to June 30th, 1963. By: Benjamin Carsman, Columnist The United States’ enduring challenge countering terrorist propaganda and more recent threats from nation state information operations have highlighted the need for a … Continue reading The War of Ideas: Advocating for a Stronger US Information Warfare Capability
A Crumbling Foundation: The Future of Arms Control
President Barack Obama signs the instrument of ratification of the New START Treaty in the Oval Office, Feb. 2, 2011. Participants include, from left: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen; Energy Secretary Steven Chu; Defense Secretary Robert Gates; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.; Sen. Richard Lugar, … Continue reading A Crumbling Foundation: The Future of Arms Control
Abandoning the INF Treaty: Risking an Arms Race
Ronald Reagan, then president of America, and his Soviet counterpart, Mikhail Gorbachev, signing the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in 1987. By: Samira Pakmehr, Columnist On October 20, 2018, Donald Trump declared the United States’ intent to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia. Signed towards the end of the Cold War … Continue reading Abandoning the INF Treaty: Risking an Arms Race
REPORT: CSIS Book Launch with John Mearsheimer
By: Daniel Zhang, Reporter Photo Credit: CSIS Dr. John J. Mearsheimer is no stranger to the students of international relations. Founder of the offensive realist school of international relations, the University of Chicago professor has written extensively on international policies and has shaped public debate and foreign policy in many aspects. On October 17, The … Continue reading REPORT: CSIS Book Launch with John Mearsheimer