Russia’s Strategic Partnerships and Global Security
In the first post-Cold War decade the international system has experienced a period of relative peace among the great powers not seen since the Concert of Europe made its debut…
‘Kosovo Syndrome’ and the Great Nuclear Debate of 2000
In the summer of 2000, a long-simmering conflict within the Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) burst into the open in a series of leaks to the media that culminated in…
The Politics of Labor Code Reform in Putin’s Russia
The recent announcement of a merger between the pro-Kremlin Unity party and Yuri Luzhkov's Fatherland movement (arguably the foremost anti-Kremlin force in the 1999 Duma campaign) was viewed by knowledgeable…
A Dangerous Balancing Act: Karimov, Putin, and the Taliban
Less than six months ago, several related events in Afghanistan suggested anything but an impending peace agreement among hostile neighbors in this war-torn region. Tensions among the relevant actors in…
Russia’s Belarus Dilemma
Russia’s Belarus dilemma can be formulated as two questions. Should Moscow continue the process of political integration with Belarus–which necessarily entails interaction with and support of the regime of President…
Islam in Russian Society and Politics: Survival and Expansion
In modern times, whether "healthy" or "sick" from an economic and political standpoint, Russia has managed to preoccupy outside observers with the changing condition of its psyche. What was known…
Russian Nationalism and Vladimir Putin’s Russia
Nationalism is a political ideology which holds that: 1) a nation exists with identifiable members and unique collective characteristics; 2) the nation is the chief source of political authority; and…
International Terrorism in the Southern Tier: Perceived or Real Threat to Russia’s Security?
The struggle against international terrorism has become one of Russia's top declared foreign policy priorities. The threat posed to Russia's security by international terrorism is usually described as the consolidation…
Why Soviet History Matters in Russia
When the Soviet Union broke apart nine years ago, many observers hoped that the new Russian government headed by Boris Yeltsin would disclose all the records of the Soviet regime…
The Multiple Dimensions of Russian Threat Assessment
The first three threats, though distinct, are closely related in assessing how the outside world is perceived in Russian foreign and security policy. Various official documents (including the national security…
The Social Cost of Russian Military Reform: Redefining Priorities for US Assistance
There are three conventional arguments about the evolution of the Russian armed forces over the past decade. The first one is that despite numerous programs, concepts and highlevel statements, practically…
Central Asia’s Stability and Russia’s Security
In August 2000, as in 1999, Islamic rebels tested the strength of Central Asian government forces. Kyrgyzstan was badly hit again; what is more, Uzbek soldiers struggled to battle the…