Executive Summary:    In the five years since Belarus’s 2020 protest movement, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s authoritarian regime has become characterized by systematic, violent repression of dissent. The country, isolated from the West, became a military foothold for Russia and fell into political, economic, and informational... MORE

Executive Summary: The Kremlin has increased its suppression of regional self-government since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, fearing any manifestation of independence. In several regions, however, the local population has opposed such suppression, and the people’s mood aligns closer with... MORE

Executive Summary: Returning veterans of the war against Ukraine pose an increasingly sinister threat to Russian society as violent crime in the country has skyrocketed, reaching a 15-year high. A return of “Afghan syndrome” and the inability to utilize specialized combat skills after military service... MORE

Executive Summary: Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has aimed to stamp out any open criticism or opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his war. Russia has expanded its definition of those it considers “foreign agents” and “terrorists and extremists”... MORE

Executive Summary: Starting September 1, Moscow will fine Russians for accessing or searching for “extremist” content, including via virtual private network (VPN) technology, to control how Russians use the Internet without fully blocking it. The Putin regime has taken these steps to limit the growing... MORE

Executive Summary: Former Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit was found dead on July 7, reportedly due to suicide, just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin fired him from the position. The active replacement of Russian elites has been a regular occurrence in Russia since the... MORE

Executive Summary: Turkmen migrants are facing increased restrictions on their freedom of movement, with countries such as Türkiye and Russia assisting the Turkmen government in cracking down on Turkmen citizens outside the country. Ashgabat has made moving abroad increasingly difficult for its citizens by arbitrarily... MORE

Executive Summary: Georgian Dream has detained eight prominent opposition figures ahead of the upcoming local elections, fulfilling a pre-election pledge by the honorary chairman of the ruling party, Bidzina Ivanishvili. The detentions stem from a refusal to appear before a parliamentary commission that many view... MORE

Executive Summary: Daily youth-led protests against the Georgian Dream government continue on Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue, with participants calling for new elections, the release of detained protesters, and, in some cases, full-on revolution. The lack of substantive results from the demonstrations, as well as an inability... MORE

Executive Summary: Serious crime has risen to its highest level since 2010 in Russia because of the influx of weapons from Moscow’s war against Ukraine, as well as the Kremlin’s increased focus on prosecuting corruption. The influx of weapons into Russia, brought into the country... MORE