Press Release—In Memoriam: Vladimir Socor (1945–2025)

Dear Friends,

As some of you may have heard, Jamestown Senior Fellow Vladimir Socor passed away last week. The world is a little less bright. We have been deprived of both a friend and someone who could illuminate the world’s complexities like few others could. Vlad was an analyst, first and foremost, even to the very end.  

I met Vlad years ago when I edited China Brief during one of his trips to the United States. He was quiet and intense in the office. Most often, Vlad’s head was down at this computer, utterly consumed with reading or writing, seemingly oblivious to the world around him. Yet, he was never impolite or unkind.

In all of my conversations, I found Vlad’s analytic intensity matched his focus on the conversation, regardless whether it was professional or personal. Rarely do we have the chance to encounter someone so meaningfully present in all that they do. I found Vlad invaluable over the last two years, as he always seemed to have clear, logical, and structured thoughts on every question I could think to ask. 

Vlad leaves behind a legacy of precise, thoughtful analysis: thousands of articles over more than five decades of work from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to The Jamestown Foundation. Vlad, of course, had his quirks, which we remember fondly. He kept an irregular schedule, meaning that every Eurasia Daily Monitor editor knew the anticipation and trepidation of “Waiting for Vlad to file”—sometimes coming half an hour before we were scheduled to publish. The end product was always worth it. Vlad wrote with panache, with a distinct individual style and verve, with careful structure and logical flow. And, most importantly, Vlad always wrote with excellence. The kind worth waiting for.

I want to offer a special thank you to Vlad’s longtime neighbors, the Fimbergers. They helped Vlad manage his day-to-day life. They offered companionship and conversation. In our last Zoom calls, he always noted their support. Even in death, the Fimbergers have gone to remarkable lengths to sort Vlad’s affairs. 

Below are a few comments on Vlad from members of Jamestown’s family who knew and miss him. This fall we will run what we consider to be Vlad’s best articles over the years, and, next to each one, we will share a story about him. If you have an anecdote about Vlad to share, please email it to pubs@jamestown.org and we may select it as one of those stories. We are planning other ways to honor Vlad’s memory and his contributions as well, and more information regarding those will be forthcoming. 

Warmest regards,

Peter Mattis

Vlad and I used to first work together in the analytical department at Radio Free Europe in Munich in the early 1980s. Even then he was considered a unique asset who could dissect communism and Sovietism like an intellectual surgeon. Although he remained in Germany when I moved to the United States, we invited him regularly to speak at conferences and roundtables in Washington to impart his knowledge and insights to American audiences. His reputation continued to grow and reading Vlad’s articles became almost mandatory for any U.S. officials and experts dealing with Eurasia and Europe’s east.

  —  Janusz Bugajski

Vlad’s daily schedule revolved around Eurasia Daily Monitor publication deadlines. After submitting his daily piece, he would stay late researching the next article, then get up very early in the morning to write it by publication time. He would spend hours and read voluminous amounts of material studying a topic before putting his analysis on paper. We once asked him what drives him to work so hard with such diligence. His answer was laconic: “Every morning I wake up and think how I can get Russia today. And usually, I do.” And then he would explain to his readers what Russia is up to in a way nobody else could.

  —  Margarita Assenova

Excellence in critical thinking, knowledgeable analysis, and timely insights based on our common values of freedom, dignity, human rights. This high purpose has been the heart of The Jamestown Foundation, exemplified for more than thirty years by the extraordinary contributions of Vladimir Socor. There may be no more decisive issue facing the Free World today than defeating Russian aggression against Ukraine and its neighbors. One need only look at Vlad’s vast body of work to understand why.

  —  Michelle Van Cleave

Vlad Socor was the rare analyst who combined expertise on the Soviet Union and the Soviet bloc states of Eastern Europe and the successors of both. As a result, he frequently had insights on both that others missed. Everyone who worked in those areas learned from him, and all of us will miss what he brought to that table.

  —  Paul Goble

Vlad often referred to himself as a generalist rather than a specialist, but that was only true because of the wide breadth of subjects in which he had specialized expertise. His deep well of knowledge, impressively dependable recall, sharp eye for detail, and incisive strategic sense together made him a truly unmatched analyst. The skill of his craft not only set the standard for Eurasia Daily Monitor but helped to train and inspire a whole new generation of Eurasia analysts the world over—a fitting legacy to complement his own extensive body of work.

  —  Matthew Czekaj

We are deeply saddened by the passing of Vlad Socor, a rare and remarkable expert whose insight and dedication shaped policy debates from Washington to Central Asia. Admired for his towering intellect, meticulous research, and unmatched knowledge of history, he set the gold standard for how analysis on the former Captive Nations should be done. At the same time, those who knew him will remember his warmth, generosity, and humor, which made him not only a respected colleague but also a cherished friend. His absence leaves a profound void, yet his legacy of scholarship and integrity will hopefully guide and inspire a new generation of experts for all who study and care about Eurasia.

  —  Glen Howard

Vladimir Socor was a leading cutting-edge researcher on the USSR, Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia for nearly five decades, who provided succinct and out of the box thinking that permeated his prolific analyses. I, and many others, will miss his warm personality, talks and writing at this strategically important moment in the new Cold War.

  —  Taras Kuzio