Latest Articles about Domestic/Social
Three Russian Discourses and Significant Silence on the War in Ukraine
The noise of jingoist propaganda and anti-Western hysteria emanating from Moscow is not as monotonous as it often seems, and the variations expose significant differences between and within Russian elite groups. Recent military setbacks, such as the destruction of a mixed air group over the... MORE
Georgia Rapidly Cozying Up to Russia and Moving Away From the West
On May 19, the first flight of a Russian airline landed in Tbilisi officially marking the resumption of air traffic between Georgia and Russia. Yet, this development has produced mixed reactions in Georgia, with Georgian society voicing their displeasure through protests (YouTube, May 19) and... MORE
Lukashenka’s Illness and the Uproar Over It
On May 18, a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Collective Security Treaty Organization took place in Minsk. Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka personally greeted the respective speakers of the member countries’ parliaments and made several statements, one of which was a suggestion that any... MORE
The Nuclear Angle in Belarus
On April 26, the so-called “Chernobyl Way,” an annual march of Belarusians to mark the anniversary of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster, took place around the world. This year, however, the march was held under a special format, as it represented not only an... MORE
Moscow Faces Increased Difficulties in Countering Circassian National Movement
May 21 marks the anniversary of the 1864 expulsion of the Circassians from their North Caucasus homeland after more than a century of resistance to Russian imperial expansion, an action most Circassians and many others consider an act of genocide. It is the most important... MORE
A ‘People’s Constitution’ for a ‘New Uzbekistan’?
On April 30, the citizens of Uzbekistan, in a referendum, voted in favor of modifying the country’s constitution. The reported voter turnout was quite high at 84.5 percent and resulted in an overwhelming majority (90.2 percent) in approving the proposed amendments. However, according to the... MORE
Ukrainian Sabotage Operations Could Spell Increased Confrontation Between Russian Special Services
In an attempt to resist increasingly significant Ukrainian sabotage operations, the Russian special services may shift to a new and bloodier round of interagency competition. Recent months have shown that Ukraine has had ever-more success with sabotage and partisan operations in the enemy’s rear (see... MORE
Turkmenistan Steps Up Its Effort to Become an International Transit Hub
For most of its just over 30 years of independence, Turkmenistan has been left out of discussions on Central Asia and the role of both north-south and east-west transportation routes linking that region to the rest of the world. Ashgabat seldom released much information about... MORE
Russia’s Estimated Storage of Cruise Missiles, May 2023
The massive Russian missile attacks against Ukraine in recent days together with evidence of the increasing efficiency of Ukraine’s air and missile defense make it necessary to re-examine the state of Russia’s arsenal of cruise, ballistic and air-launched missiles with a range of more than... MORE
Russian Imperial Movement Deepens Involvement in Ukraine War
In late March 2023, The Moscow Times published a report detailing those ultraconservative, pro-Russian militias fighting in Ukraine. One of these elements, the Russian Imperial Movement (RIM), has been training volunteers willing to fight in Ukraine. On the day of Russia’s re-invasion of Ukraine in... MORE