Russia and China Sidelining the U.S. in the Arctic

Xue Long Chinese icebreaker. Photo Credit: United States Naval Institute By: Ashley Postler, Columnist As one of eight circumpolar states, the U.S. has much at stake in a rapidly warming Arctic, but remains behind the curve in developing and protecting its regional territory. In contrast, Russia and China have found overlapping and complementary national interests … Continue reading Russia and China Sidelining the U.S. in the Arctic

Report on “Putin’s Fourth Term: What Lies Ahead” CERES Conference

The annual conference on Russia, Putin’s Fourth Term: What Lies Ahead, featuring an ambassadors’ roundtable with five former U.S. Ambassadors to Russia. By: Simon Machalek, Reporter Where is Russia heading? What is behind Russia’s aggressive foreign policy? How do Russian constituents view their president Vladimir Putin? To examine these essential questions, scholars and diplomats from around … Continue reading Report on “Putin’s Fourth Term: What Lies Ahead” CERES Conference

Putin the Troll – Making Abe An Offer He Can Only Refuse

By: Christine Bang-Andersen, Columnist Photo Credit: Getty Images In yet another act of political provocation, this time towards Japan, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered an offer that could only be refused during a September 12 speech at the Eastern Economic Forum alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The Russian president raised eyebrows when speaking about … Continue reading Putin the Troll – Making Abe An Offer He Can Only Refuse

Decoding Russia’s Role in Enabling Europe’s Far-Right

By: Krystel Von Kumberg, Columnist Photo credit: The Guardian Despite the varied political, economic, and social developments that have occurred in postwar European states, the continent is still haunted by the specter of the past, as far-right extremism has reemerged in recent years. Just as societal bonds are weakening due to growing frustration over economic … Continue reading Decoding Russia’s Role in Enabling Europe’s Far-Right

The Bear’s Necessities: Russia’s Control, Exploitation, and Manipulation of Information

A screenshot of what appeared to be Russian ransomware affecting systems worldwide in June 2017. The Ukrainian government posted the shot to its official Facebook page. Via The New York Times By: Shawn Stefanick, Columnist On April 16, 2018, the U.S. and U.K. publicly blamed Moscow for a series of cyber intrusions into the backbone … Continue reading The Bear’s Necessities: Russia’s Control, Exploitation, and Manipulation of Information

As Ukraine and Poland Quarrel, Russia Benefits

By: Will Chim, Columnist Photo by: http://www.cam.ac.uk The recent deterioration of Poland and Ukraine’s relationship destabilizes not just what should be a strong Polish-Ukrainian alliance against Russian aggression, but broader political cooperation in Europe. While the discord has its roots in World War II, it is mainly aggressive rhetoric on both sides causing a dangerous … Continue reading As Ukraine and Poland Quarrel, Russia Benefits

Operation Olive Branch: A Misstep in Russia’s Syria Strategy?

By: Katie Earle, Columnist Photo by: thefuldagap.com Despite Russia’s complicated relationship with Turkey and its prior cooperation with US-backed Kurdish forces, known as the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), Moscow consented to a major Turkish offensive against the latter. So far, that decision looks to be a misstep for the Kremlin. At the end of … Continue reading Operation Olive Branch: A Misstep in Russia’s Syria Strategy?

Is a Russian Invasion of Kazakhstan on the Horizon?

By: Alexander Begej, Columnist Photo by: Presidential Press and Information Office, Kremlin President Vladimir Putin’s popularity in Russia is not nearly as strong as it once was. Though Putin will unquestionably win the 2018 presidential election in March, civilian unrest can soon graduate to a regime threatening uprising if it is not kept in check … Continue reading Is a Russian Invasion of Kazakhstan on the Horizon?

Undermining the UN, Putin’s Russia Drives Regional Diplomatic Talks on Syria

By: Patrick Hoover, Columnist Photo Credit: Middle East Monitor Russia is increasingly in the diplomatic driver’s seat of the seven-year Syria conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his Iranian and Turkish counterparts, Hassan Rouhani and Tayyip Erdogan, in Sochi between November 20 and 25 to issue a joint statement affirming their commitment to a “post-conflict” … Continue reading Undermining the UN, Putin’s Russia Drives Regional Diplomatic Talks on Syria

Russia’s 2018 Election: A Look Inside the Kremlin’s Political Theater

By: Will Chim, Columnist Photo Credit: The Atlantic The election of Vladimir Putin to a fourth term as president of Russia appears to be a foregone conclusion. After all, the world has already experienced 18 years of Putin’s tenure spread over three presidential terms and a stint as prime minster. However, the upcoming March 2018 … Continue reading Russia’s 2018 Election: A Look Inside the Kremlin’s Political Theater