Latest Articles about Military/Security
China’s “Underground Great Wall” and Nuclear Deterrence
In early December, the People’s Liberation Army's (PLA) publication, China Defense Daily (Zhongguo Guofang Bao), published a report that provided a rare glimpse into an underground tunnel that is being built by the Second Artillery Corps (SAC)—the PLA's strategic missile forces—in the mountainous regions of... MORE
Authorities Show Little Enthusiasm for Probing Murders of Ingush Rights Activists
On December 12, the brother of the murdered Ingush opposition figure Maksharip Aushev, Mussa, stated that the investigation of the murder had made no evident progress since he was killed on October 25. That is despite the fact that Ingushetia’s President Yunus-Bek Yevkurov and Russian... MORE
Military Victory in South Waziristan or the Beginning of a Long War?
There is hardly any doubt regarding the critical importance of the military operation in Pakistan’s troubled South Waziristan tribal agency, which is considered to be the epicenter of jihad and the nerve center of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and their allies. The latest military operation... MORE
Jihadis Debate Growing Rift Between al-Qaeda and the Taliban
Taliban leader Mullah Omar’s statement on the occasion of the end of Ramadan festivities, published in al-Somod Islamic e-magazine, was seen by many Salafi-Jihadi forum participants as a retreat from true Salafi-Jihadi practices and a sign of unacceptable moderation and concession to the United States... MORE
Medvedev’s Proposal for a Special Northern Caucasus Envoy Sparks Wide Speculation
On December 10, Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported that Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov might be appointed special representative responsible for the North Caucasus republics. This news raised speculation about possible candidacies for this position to a new level, as the appointment of a high-ranking official like... MORE
Russia and NATO Explore the Limits of the “Agreeing to Disagree” Posture
The habitually derisive tone of reporting on NATO’s “aggressive intentions” and “deepening divisions” in the mainstream Russian media noticeably changed last week after the unexpectedly fruitful meeting of the NATO-Russia Council; Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen was particularly praised for securing this success (Rossiyskaya Gazeta, December... MORE
More Reboot or a Real Strategic Overload?
On December 1, after lengthy consultations with his military and political advisors, President Barrack Obama announced an increase of 30,000 US troops for Afghanistan and sent his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, to Brussels to help secure an additional 10,000 troops from other NATO members.... MORE
Insurgent Violence Reported in Dagestan, Ingushetia and Karachaevo-Cherkessia
Dagestan’s acting Interior Minister, Aleksandr Trofimov, told reporters in the republic’s capital Makhachkala yesterday (December 10), that six terrorist groups totaling up to 150 members are operating in Dagestan. He said the six groups are operating in Makhachkala,Khasavyurt and Kizilyurt, Gubden, Gimry, Balakhani and southern... MORE
Train Bombing Part of North Caucasus Rebels’ Bid to Widen Insurgency
A series of terrorist attacks on Russian railroads in November, including the bombing of the Nevsky Express, which killed 27 people, made many wonder who would take such bold actions in different parts of Russia. The incidents were officially characterized as terrorist attacks, which in... MORE
Russia Removes Constitutional Constraints on Military Intervention Abroad
Last August, while celebrating the anniversary of the successful invasion of Georgia in August 2008, President Dmitry Medvedev introduced amendments to the 1996 Law on Defense aimed at allowing the use of Russian forces abroad “to defend Russian soldiers and citizens, fight piracy and defend... MORE