Putin May Cripple the US’s Strongest Voice in Russia
Xi Jinping Boosts the Party’s Control and His Own Authority
Baluch Nationalist-Separatist Militant Alliance Threatens Pakistani Security Forces
Ukraine, EU Locked in Clash of Cultures and Values
The Ukrainian government concluded a series of agreements and held important discussions with European Union officials during Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal’s February 9–11 visit to Brussels, where he co-chaired the seventh meeting of the Ukraine-EU... MORE
Moscow Expanding Ties With Iran to Counter Growing Turkish Influence Around Caspian
Moscow is alarmed by the expansion of Turkish influence in the Caspian region, most immediately by Turkey’s enthusiasm for trans-Caspian natural gas pipelines, something that could undercut Russia’s ability to dominate that market. In response,... MORE
Armenia’s Military Leadership, Civilian Opposition Move to Oust Pashinian’s Government
A military-civilian putsch broke out in Yerevan today (February 25) against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and his government, who are blamed for Armenia’s disastrous defeat by Azerbaijan in the 44-day Second Karabakh War (September 27–November... MORE
Russia’s Iskander Missiles Fail in Karabakh but Cause Crisis in Armenia
The Second Karabakh War, between Armenia and Azerbaijan, began on September 27, 2020, and ended on November 9, 2020, with a Russian-brokered and guaranteed agreement. The conflict claimed the lives of thousands of Armenian and... MORE
Is There a Hydrogen Future for Nord Stream Two?
On February 16, the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual “Russia Conference” with the participation of high-ranking politicians and business executives. The discussion included, among other themes, possible ways to enhance the level of... MORE
Ukraine’s Sanctions Against Pro-Russian Oligarch Medvedchuk—All About Oil and Coal
On February 19, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) imposed sanctions on Ukrainian tycoon and politician Viktor Medvedchuk and his wife, Oksana Marchenko (Pravda.com.ua, February 19). Medvedchuk is a leader and people’s... MORE
Head of Georgia’s Main Opposition Party Arrested by Authorities
On the evening of February 23, Georgia’s opposition parties launched an open-ended rally on Rustaveli Avenue, where all the important events in the country’s modern history have taken place. The opposition seeks to thwart the... MORE
Amidst Repressions, Minsk Is Snapping Back
Three legal trials in Minsk attracted maximum attention during the middle of February. One of them has already ended with a verdict—two-year prison sentences to Katerina Bakhavalova and Darya Chultsova, journalists of Belsat, a digital... MORE
Reforming Territorial Defense in Ukraine: Danger in Delay
Late last year, on December 16, the Ukrainian parliament took up a new draft bill (#4504) on territorial defense (Rada.gov.ua, December 16, 2020). The proposed legislation, written by a group of lawmakers headed by Andrii... MORE