Latest Articles
Poland and Lithuania Scramble to Mend Broken Ties
By Matthew CzekajPolish-Lithuanian relations may not have been this bad since the 1920s and ‘30s. At the heart of the current dispute is an issue Warsaw and Vilnius has been struggling with off and on diplomatically since the collapse of the Soviet Bloc – namely,... MORE
Moscow’s Financing of Sochi Olympics 2014 Construction Triples Since 2009
By Valery DzutsevOn September 8, Russian news agency RIA-Novosti reported that the Russian government is increasing its material contribution to the Olimpstroy state corporation from $4.8bn to $10.1bn. Olympstroy oversees construction of facilities for the Olympics and the development of Sochi as a ski resort... MORE
Khloponin Admits Ramzan Kadyrov Fails to Live Up to Russia’s Standards On Personal Freedom
By Valery DzutsevOn September 8, Alexander Khloponin, Moscow’s envoy to the North Caucasus, for the first time publicly rebuked the ruler of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov. The Chechen youth want more freedom than Kadyrov allows, Khloponin asserted, adding, “The youth in Chechnya lack freedom. They want... MORE
Hungary’s MiGs Up for Sale
By Matthew CzekajThose in the market for a used, fourth-generation, Soviet, air-superiority jet fighter need look no further than Hungary. The Central European country is putting up eight of its 24 remaining MiG-29 Fulcrums for tender. The Hungarian government has declared a minimum bid for... MORE
Russia: The “New Look” Faces North (Part Five)
By Jacob W. Kipp The following is Part Five of a five part series on the Russian efforts to stake a strategic claim on the Arctic region. Read Part One here. Read Part Two here. Read Part Three here. Read Part Four here. Further proof... MORE
Russia: The “New Look” Faces North (Part Four)
By Jacob W. Kipp The following is Part Four of a five part series on the Russian efforts to stake a strategic claim on the Arctic region. Read Part One here. Read Part Two here. Read Part Three here. Russian MOD Moves to Create Two... MORE
Russia: The “New Look” Faces North (Part Three)
By Jacob W. Kipp The following is Part Three of a five part series on the Russian efforts to stake a strategic claim on the Arctic region. Read Part One here. Read Part Two here. In December 2008, Morskoi sbornik carried an article by A.... MORE
Does Russia Conceal the Real Casualties of Its Forces in the North Caucasus?
By Valery Dzutsev On August 12, the North Caucasian rebel resource Kavkazcenter.com reported an astonishing discrepancy between official and previously reported numbers of casualties. On August 11, government forces killed six militants in Makhachkala, Dagestan. In a press-release related to the August operation, the Russian... MORE
Russia: The “New Look” Faces North (Part Two)
By Jacob W. Kipp The following is Part Two of a five part series on the Russian efforts to stake a strategic claim on the Arctic region. Read Part One here. In late June 2007, the Shipbuilding giant Sevmash, located in Arkhangelsk Oblast’, was looking... MORE
Russia: The “New Look” Faces North (Part One)
By Jacob W. Kipp The following is Part One of a five part series on the Russian efforts to stake a strategic claim on the Arctic region. In early July, Russia’s Defense Minister Anatoly Serdiukov announced the creation of two brigades for the defense of... MORE