Pride 2007: The State of Moscow’s Gay Movement
When I first arrived at Tverskaya Square just after noon on May 27th, all I could see were police uniforms. The police and OMON, the riot specialists of the Russian…
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Russia’s Shrunken Air Defense Perimeter
In recent months political disputes between Russia and the United States have grown to include sharp differences over Washington’s expanding plans for ballistic missile defense (BMD) on the European continent….
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Bishkek: “A Place Below the Mountains”
Bishkek is capital of one of Central Asia’s poorest countries. However, it is also a modern, dynamic, and constantly evolving city with a rich history dating back to the 6th…
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Why is Russia in Syria?
To say that Syria is in the news a lot right now would be a gross understatement. The whole world’s foreign policy seems to be hinging on how to deal…
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What is the Significance of the Russia Day Protests?
On June 12, heavily armed riot police arrested at least 1,720 people across Russia in the second nationwide anti-corruption protest since March. Although Moscow authorities had granted opposition leader Alexei…
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Igor Sechin
Igor Sechin and Mixing Oil with Politics Igor Ivanovich Sechin is a Russian statesman and oil magnate. Although he is often named as one of President Vladimir Putin’s closest allies,…
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Elvira Nabiullina
Elvira Nabiullina and Saving Russia’s Financial System Elvira Nabiullina is currently ranked the most powerful woman in Russia and has been named one of the world’s most effective Central Bank…
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Sergei Sobyanin
Sergei Sobyanin and the Transformation of Moscow Sergei Semyonich Sobyanin is the current Mayor of Moscow, a position he was promoted to under then-president Dimitri Medvedev in 2013. Originally an…
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Vyacheslav Volodin
Vyacheslav Volodin and the Future of the Russian Presidency Vyacheslav Viktorovich Volodin has been a stalwart member of the United Russia party since its inception in 2001, and is frequently…
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Osh & The Fergana Valley: Diversity and Division
Major locations in Kyrgyzstan (shown in red), including Osh in the south, on the border with Uzbekistan and just inside the Fergana Valley. Boasting breathtaking mountaintop views and an expansive…
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Poland: An Emerging Central European Power?
Poland joined the European Union in 2004 as part of the EU’s “big bang” of Eastern expansion. This broke the Cold War’s East-West divide and brought, according to the Polish…
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Nagorno-Karabakh: The Volatile Core of the South Caucasus
The Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is one of four frozen conflicts that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Legally recognized as a part of Azerbaijan, it declared independence in…
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YouTube Conflicts: Youth Debate Ukraine
There have been a number of videos published by youth and student groups from all sides of the Ukrainian conflict. Many of these have been published in response to each…
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What Do The Escalations in US-Russian Sanctions Mean?
The US Congress has recently passed sweeping new sanctions on Russia. Today, they were signed into law by President Trump. Both the sanctions and Russia’s reaction have been dramatic. However,…
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Origins of Russia: Moscow Becomes an Empire (Prehistory to 1584)
Moscow is not just a city. It was a fort that became a city, that became a state, that became an empire, that became a superpower. Moscow maintained an unlikely…
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Could the Baltic Crisis Lead to Wider Conflict?
Recent years have seen a hardening of relations between the United States/NATO and Russia. Russian actions in Ukraine—especially the annexation of Crimea on March 18, 2014—immediately led to a fear…
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Vostochny Cosmodrome: Liability or Asset?
Is Russia’s new launch site a long term liability or a strategic asset? April 28 marked the first successful rocket launch from Russia’s new cosmodrome located in the Russian Far…
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Understanding Russia’s Interests in North Korea
The first few months of 2016 have seen important developments for the long term stability of Russia’s far eastern neighbors. North Korea is at the center. The isolated nation tested…
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