Latest Articles about Russia
NATO-Russian Missile Defense Impasse and Future Negotiations on Non-Strategic Nuclear Weapons
(Part Two)The lack of progress on missile defense in recent talks between NATO and Russia, highlighted misperceptions on both sides, and, in the views of Russian commentators, also underestimated shifts in the strategic environment (See “NATO-Russian Discussions Fail on Missile Defense: Implications for Negotiations on... MORE
The State’s Embrace of Traditional Islam Puts Both In Danger
The issue of official support for “traditional Islam” to counterbalance radical Islam once again emerged as a pressing theme following the June 7 murder of the Head of the Institute of Theology and International Affairs, Maksud Sadikov, in Makhachkala, Dagestan. Yet, Islam cannot itself be... MORE
NATO-Russian Discussions Fail on Missile Defense: Implications for Negotiations on Non-Strategic Nuclear Weapons
(Part One)Over the last several months most of the conversation on NATO-Russia cooperation has focused on NATO-Russia discussions of European missile defense. President Dmitry Medvedev during the NATO summit in Lisbon in November 2010 indicated more willingness to cooperate with the Alliance in the development... MORE
Moscow’s Plan to Increase Control over the North Caucasus Imperils its Effort to Modernize the Region
The International Economic Forum took place in St. Petersburg, Russia, over June 16-18. Delegations from the North Caucasian republics attended the event and a special session “North Caucasus: Unlocking the Potential” took place on June 18. From the statements of Russian officials, it transpired that... MORE
Medvedev Speaks Against Putinism and Fails to Disprove Khodorkovsky
The annual economic forum in St. Petersburg is not known for quality debates and builds its reputation around a major political speech traditionally delivered by the leader or a candidate with the ambition to set Russia’s course for years to come. President Dmitry Medvedev rose... MORE
Series of Violent Incidents Reported in Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria
Insurgency-related violence was reported in the North Caucasus this past week, particularly in Dagestan and Kabardino-Balkaria.Two improvised explosive devices were discovered today (June 17) on a gas pipeline in Dagestan’s Derbent district. While one of the devices was being defused, the second one detonated, damaging... MORE
Endless Special Forces Operations Continue in the North Caucasus
The recent murder in broad daylight of the former commander of the 160th guard tank regiment in Chechnya, Yuri Budanov, in downtown Moscow once again returned the topic of Chechnya to the minds of the Russian general public. Well before the official police explanations, the... MORE
SCO Fails to Turn Into an “Eastern NATO”
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) comprising China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan was officially created on June 15, 2001. At the time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, while the secular dictators of the impoverished, weak and corrupt former Soviet Central Asian “Stan” states were panicking.... MORE
Will Kyiv Seek Alternatives to Russian Gas or Make Concessions to Moscow?
Kyiv’s recent attempt to persuade Moscow to lower the price of gas for Ukraine proved to be a fiasco. Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, made it clear to his visiting Ukrainian counterpart Mykola Azarov on June 7 that Moscow was happy with the current situation... MORE
Despite Yevkurov’s Best Efforts, Prospects for Peace in Ingushetia Remain Dim
On June 11, the head of Ingushetia, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, met with parents of suspected rebels, along with the heads of municipal entities and law enforcement agencies, in Magas, the republic’s capital. Yevkurov called on the parents of the suspected rebels to convince their children to... MORE