Vladimir Putin’s Casus Belli for Invading Ukraine
On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine. Although the scale of the invasion caught many analysts by surprise, this was not the…
How Russian Television Prepared the Public for War
In debates about the responsibility for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, television undoubtedly plays an important role in the public’s supporting, ignoring, or opposing the Kremlin’s war. A key aspect of…
Creeping Finlandization or Prudent Foreign Policy? Georgia’s Strategic Challenges amid the Ukrainian Crisis
The implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine will affect global security architecture for decades to come as Moscow continues to escalate the conflict. Meanwhile, countries located in the EU’s…
The Ethics of Political Commemoration: The Stalin Museum and Thorny Legacies in the Post-Soviet Space
The Stalin Museum in Georgia highlights a key feature of the post-Soviet region: the past still overshadows the present. Georgia, and many other countries, including, palpably, Vladimir Putin’s Russia, struggle…
Moscow’s Manipulated Memory Politics and Attack on Ukraine
Hardly anyone expected that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has been going on since the 2004 Orange revolution one way or another, would turn into an actual war.…
How Punitive Are Russians? Insights From a National Survey on Law Enforcement in Russia
The question of how state punishment is enacted in Russia is in the spotlight. The jailing of protesters and opposition leaders—emblematized by anti-war rallies, the case of Alexei Navalny, and…
President Putin’s Rationality and Escalation in Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
Prominent Western policy figures, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Canada’s United Nations Ambassador Bob Rae, and retired U.S. National Security Advisor General H. R. McMaster, have recently questioned whether…
Discontent, Discussion, Dissemination: Mounting Grievances in Russia’s Security Services Leading Up to February 24
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has set a series of events in motion, from which there is no return, least of all for President Vladimir Putin. For years, he has been…
The Emerging Role of Muslim Civil Society In Central Asia
In the three decades since the fall of the Soviet Union, Muslim civil society has developed significantly in Central Asia. Yet, in contemporary discussions on the future of the region,…
A New Stage in Russian Foreign Policy: War and Isolation
(PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo) President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale war against Ukraine, which began in the early hours of February 24, has become a turning point in the world order. The…
Nord Stream 2 Under Sanctions: A Silver Lining for EU Energy Security Policy?
(PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo) Late last year, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline seemed to be firmly heading to an eventual finish, but Russian aggression on Europe’s eastern flank brought the…
Armenia’s New Swathi Radar and Defense Imports from India: Eurasian Geostrategy or Technology Interface?
(PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo) Armenia’s recent purchase of the Swathi weapon locating radar from India is significant. It represents New Delhi’s first international customer as its defense sector transitions from…