In a bizarre series of events, Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the notorious Wagner Group, seemingly dared to challenge Moscow with what appeared to be a “mutiny” triggered by a rocket attack on Wagner camps allegedly “ordered by [Russian Defense Minister Sergei] Shoigu” and the Russian... MORE

While the precise consequences of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s so-called “march for justice” remain to be seen, the events starting on the night of June 23 and abruptly ending with a deal between Prigozhin and Russian President Vladimir Putin—seemingly brokered by Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka—on June 24... MORE

On June 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with the war correspondents from a number of state-owned and state-affiliated television channels and newspapers, as well as several Telegram “military-patriotic” bloggers. Depending on the source, the event was the third or the fourth meeting of this... MORE

Introduction In recent months, the (re)emergence of the “Rural Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Brigade” (农村综合行政执法大队) has generated controversy in China. On social media, netizens have nicknamed this brigade as nongguan (农管, “rural managers”), echoing the infamous and widely despised urban enforcers of rules and regulations known... MORE

*Read Part One. The Moldovan Constitutional Court’s verdict dissolving the Shor Party on June 19 does not prevent the party from reorganizing under another name (see Part One). The decision, moreover, allows the Shor Party’s elected representatives, parliamentary and local authorities, to retain their posts... MORE

Russian elites continue to assure the Russian population that there is no future without a victory over Ukraine; however, the image of this victory has been considerably modified in the face of the Ukrainian counteroffensive. Ukrainian forces are slowly battling their way forward, liberating more... MORE

After a brief easing following the Sochi Olympics in 2014, which elevated attention on the Circassian issue to the global level, tensions between Moscow and the Circassians ebbed during the first part of the past decade only to rise again at its end (see EDM,... MORE

On June 13, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka was interviewed by Olga Skabeyeva of Russia One, a Moscow-based television channel (President.gov.by, June 14). On the eve of the interview, the Russian television crew visited Belarus’s western border where S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems are installed, later sharing... MORE

On June 19, the Moldovan Constitutional Court outlawed the Shor Party, led by fugitive tycoon Ilan Shor. The Justice Ministry had earlier requested the court to determine whether the party’s goals and operating methods were compatible with Moldova’s Constitution. The court ruled that they were... MORE

In recent weeks, Russia’s military leadership has wholly changed its rhetoric regarding domestic arms manufacturing and the country’s military-industrial complex. From the nervous statements and even threats made to the upper management of state-owned companies and production facilities throughout 2022 and during the first months... MORE