Executive Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced revisions to Russia’s nuclear doctrine on September 25 that are neither radical nor surprising. The timing of Putin’s heavy hints and direct threats is indicative of his real intent for what he plans for his war in Ukraine.... MORE

Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has successfully used its hosting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to burnish its soft power and its credentials to be seen as the leader of the Global South. Close political alignment on core issues, including African... MORE

Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has an extensive taxonomy of diplomatic relations, with at least 42 unique combinations of adjectives for different partnerships. The PRC has never delineated the ranking of these partnerships explicitly, though there is enough available information to determine... MORE

Executive Summary: Bidzina Ivanishvili, the informal leader of Georgia, made a recent statement promising an apology to puppet regime of so-called South Ossetia controlled by Russiafor the war in 2008, placing the blame for Russia’s war on Georgia itself. The Georgian opposition and general public... MORE

Executive Summary: As Russia suffers under Western sanctions, Kremlin propagandists have turned their attention to Iran and advocated studying the Iranian experience of living under sanctions including Iranian scientific innovation and economic development. Russian officials have sung the praises of the Iranian leadership since the... MORE

Executive Summary: The All-Russian Cossack Society (VsKO) continues to encourage both registered and non-registered Cossacks to participate in Russia’s war against Ukraine, pulling on Kremlin propaganda about the purpose of the war and the Cossack mythos of the tradition of ancient warriors. The Russian government... MORE

Executive Summary: Russian President Vladimir Putin is attempting to distort Western discussions about Ukrainian use of long-range weapons on Russian soil, launching a fresh wave of escalatory threats should Western capitals grant Kyiv such authorization. Putin’s escalatory threats of nuclear retaliation aim to pressure Western... MORE

Executive Summary: Despite fear of punishment for voicing opposition and the Kremlin’s aggressive propaganda, public support for its war in Ukraine has waned, especially as those returning from the front expose the reality of the conflict. Research indicates that Russians increasingly prioritize regional issues over... MORE

Executive Summary: Two American researchers claim they discovered the future launch site for the Russian nuclear-powered intercontinental-range cruise missile “Burevestnik.” This is unlikely, as it does not appear to be possible to build such a missile due to technological and physical restrictions. Since 2018, Russia... MORE

Executive Summary: As the new school year begins in Russia, the Kremlin is restructuring the curriculum to be more patriotic, teaching school children about “what is important,” including the “Fundamentals of Religious Culture” and military training. Due in part to limited access to technology and... MORE