Cossacks as a Case Study of Russia’s Paramilitarization
Image license/credit Since the Wagner mutiny of June 2023, the role of paramilitaries in Russia has become a subject of intense scrutiny. Not only do such groups represent a diminution…
Ramzan Kadyrov: Between Putin’s Loyal Praetorian Guard and Devoted Servant of the Chechen People
Image license/credit In this policy memo, we analyze the ways in which Ramzan Kadyrov has instrumentalized Russia’s successes and failures in the war in Ukraine for his own political benefit.…
In Their Own Voice: Supporting Russia’s Wartime Migrants
Image license/credit A recent Radio Free Liberty report tells the story of two young anti-war activists, Adelya and Ivan from Nizhnekamsk (Tatarstan), who fled Russia after being intimidated and threatened…
Attitudes toward Russia’s War on Ukraine in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
Image license/credit In October, Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Kyrgyzstan for a summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States. This was Putin’s first known trip abroad since the International…
Unfulfillable Promise: Mediation Efforts in the Russian-Ukrainian War Since 2014
Image license/credit Part 1. The Gray-Zone ConflictThis memo is the first in a two-part assessment of the effectiveness of mediation in the Russian-Ukrainian war during its gray-zone (2014-2022) and conventional…
Russian Military Keynesianism: Who Benefits from the War in Ukraine?
Image license/credit How has the transformation of the Russian economy and society in response to the challenges posed by the invasion of Ukraine affected popular support for the war? Scholars…
The South Caucasus between Putin and Erdoğan: Is Russia on Its Way Out?
Image license/credit Over the past few years, a series of wars have caused tectonic shifts that have upset the architecture of the South Caucasus. Azerbaijan, backed by Turkey, emerged victorious…
For Victory in Freedom: Why Ukrainian Resilience to Russian Aggression Endures
Image license/credit Not only do the overwhelming majority of Ukrainians remain resolute in their commitment to driving Russia out of Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory, but this commitment is strongly fused…
What Does Support for Russia Mean? Evidence from Gagauz Yeri, Moldova
Image license/credit The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has intensified concerns about support for Russia among ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking populations in the former Soviet Union. In countries ranging from…
Negotiating Security with Autocracies: Implications for the Russo-Ukrainian War
Image license/credit The ongoing war against Ukraine has cast into relief the dilemma of choosing between an imperfect peace, on the one hand, and continued fighting in pursuit of a…
All Blushes of Autumn: Russia’s Evolving “Red Lines” in the War on Ukraine
Image license/credit Early in the morning of February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine. In his televised speech, he stated: “Whoever tries to hinder…
Are Sanctions on Russia Effective? How (Not) to Inform the Debate
Image license/credit Since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has been subjected to wide-ranging and increasingly severe sanctions by the United States, the European Union, the United…