Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles
Russia Attempts New Anti-Peace Offensive
Executive Summary: The Kremlin has released a series of “leaks” implying that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to freeze hostilities in his war against Ukraine. The release likely occurred now as an attempt to derail preparations for the coming Ukraine peace summit this summer... MORE
Kyrgyz Attacks on South Asian Workers Reflect Far Deeper Problems
Executive Summary: Bishkek has sought to attract workers from other countries to fill the void of a million Kyrgyz workers abroad, a substitution that has sparked xenophobia and violence, most recently on May 17 and 18. The tense situation has been exacerbated by Kyrgyzstan’s weak... MORE
Azerbaijan and Slovakia Expand Strategic Partnership
Executive Summary: Azerbaijan and Slovakia recently signed an agreement on defense cooperation that opens the door to joint defense production, with Slovakia set to produce weaponry funded by Baku. Slovakia’s expansion of its strategic partnership with Azerbaijan takes on a significant geopolitical dimension, potentially reshaping... MORE
Russia and Belarus Hold Joint Non-Strategic Nuclear Exercises (Part One)
Executive Summary: Russia and Belarus announced a joint tactical nuclear exercise to signal to Western countries that deploying their troops in Ukraine will lead to nuclear escalation. The general staffs of the Russian and Belarusian armed forces are preparing tactical nuclear strikes on targets located... MORE
Russian Ministry of Defense Conducts ‘Great Purge’
Executive Summary: The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) is currently purging numerous military officers and MoD officials in an alleged “anti-corruption” campaign. The political motivation for these attacks is unclear, though this could be an effort to find scapegoats responsible for Russia’s troubles in the... MORE
Despite Disowning Plan, Moscow Sends Clear Message of Intentions With Baltic Borders
Executive Summary: The Russian Defense Ministry posted and then took down a plan for Moscow to unilaterally redraw sea borders in the Baltic region, alarming and then reassuring observers inclined to dismiss this as bureaucratic infighting. The document as first posted is consistent with Russian... MORE
Georgia Stands at Crossroads Between Autocratic Russia and Democratic West
Executive Summary: Georgia, by changing its geopolitical vector in favor of Russia, risks losing not only the West's political and economic support but also Western investment. The Georgian Dream government is considering Chinese investment and the “dirty money” of Russian oligarchs as alternatives to Western... MORE
Cossacks Provide a Source of Strength for Ukraine
Executive Summary: Ukrainian Cossack societies have played a growing role in preparing the next generation of Ukrainians for military service since 2014 by teaching children combat skills. Cossack culture and military service have a long-standing relationship in Ukraine, with military formations and soldiers regularly invoking... MORE
New Russian Defense Minister’s Tasks Extend Beyond Ukraine
Executive Summary: Russian propagandists believe that new Minister of Defense Andrei Belousov’s ultimate loyalty to Putin and absence of corruption scandals puts him in a prime position to accomplish the tasks set before him. Putin’s move to reorganize his cabinet demonstrates a shift in the... MORE
Armenia and Azerbaijan Step Up Work on Peace Deal
Executive Summary: The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met for bilateral negotiations in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in April, following the start of the delimitation of the two countries’ shared interstate border. Both sides emphasized that though they still have their differences, some progress has been... MORE