Latest Articles about Military/Security

Putin’s First Assertive Move on the Energy Front Misfires
Combat operations on all key fronts of the Russo-Ukrainian war continue non-stop, even if without decisive action, but the transit of Russian natural gas to Europe through Ukraine’s pipeline system persists without interruptions. This may appear aberrant given President Vladimir Putin’s well-documented propensity to “weaponize”... MORE

The New Caliph of IS: the Winding Career of Bashar Khattab Ghazal al-Sumaida’i
Two months after a U.S. special operation on March 10 in Atmeh, Syria, al-Furqan Foundation, which disseminates Islamic State (IS) messages from the organization’s central leadership, released an announcement through the new spokesman Abu Umar al-Muhajir (Jihadology, March 10). In the twelve minute audio clip,... MORE

Who is Muslim Khan and Why Does the Pakistani Taliban Demand his Release?
Brokered by the Afghan Taliban’s interior minister and Haqqani Network leader, Sirajudin Haqqani, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, agreed with the Pakistani government on November 9, 2021 to a “month-long complete ceasefire” (BBC Urdu, November 6). As part of the... MORE

The Life and 50-Year Struggle of Baluch Nationalist Mir Yousuf Mastikhan
The 77-year old Mir Yousuf Mastikhan [1] is a veteran Baluch nationalist and separatist leader, who has continued his struggle with various political parties in Pakistan. Presently, Mastikhan is the president of Baluch Muttahida Mahaz (BMM), or the Baluch United Front. This is a Baluch... MORE

Russia and the Gulf: Implications for Global Energy Markets and Moscow’s International Isolation
Pressure is growing around the world to cut off international purchases of Russian oil because of the Kremlin’s war of aggression against Ukraine. In recent days, the government of Poland announced its intentions to do just that, in addition to self-embargos on Russian coal and... MORE

Russia’s Military Draft—Serious Problems That Go Beyond Ukraine
Today (March 31), President Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian Armed Forces will draft 134,500 men over the next three months and release a similar number of soldiers who have completed their service (Pravo.gov.ru, March 31). Russia has always faced problems with its twice-a-year draft:... MORE

Ukraine’s Deeply Flawed Blueprint for Guaranteed Neutrality (Part One)
Turned away from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) purportedly “open door” (see EDM, March 30), Kyiv has submitted its official proposals to Moscow for a treaty on Ukraine’s neutrality under international guarantees. The Kremlin has taken Kyiv’s proposals under consideration at the latest round... MORE

Russian Cossacks and the Continuation of the War in Ukraine
As the Kremlin’s unprovoked large-scale war against Ukraine continues, the Russian Armed Forces are reportedly experiencing chronic supply and troop shortages. And now, evidence is growing that the military has been turning to Russia’s registered Cossack movement to provide more men for the fight as... MORE

Ukraine in Quest for Internationally Guaranteed Neutrality
Ukraine has abandoned its aspiration to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and is seeking, instead, some form of neutrality under international guarantees. Kyiv aims to achieve this goal after the end of the ongoing war with Russia, but it is already at work... MORE

Tensions Escalate in Karabakh as Azerbaijan Demands Withdrawal of Armenian Armed Groups
On March 26, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan called on the Russian side to complete the withdrawal of “the remnants of the Armenian army and illegal Armenian armed detachments” from the Azerbaijani territories temporarily under the control of Moscow’s peacekeeping mission (Mod.gov.az, March 26).... MORE