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The possibility of social unrest is one reason why Vladimir Putin has been unable to translate his calls for economic reform into effective policies, writes Peter Rutland. Instead, the Russian President is hoping that his Soviet-style 'mobilization narratives' and the country's oligarchs will kick-start the economy for him.More
The possibility of social unrest is one reason why Vladimir Putin has been unable to translate his calls for economic reform into effective policies, writes Peter Rutland. Instead, the Russian President is hoping that his Soviet-style 'mobilization narratives' and the country's oligarchs will kick-start the economy for him. More
Islam in Russia and the Relationship Between Moscow and the Caucasus
30 October 2013
Tensions between Moscow and the Muslim populations in the North Caucasus region are well-documented and likely to continue. In today's podcast, Alexey Malashenko explains why the tensions are intimately linked to the social and economic problems that plague all of Russia. More
External Threat as a Driving Force for Exploring and Developing the Russian Pacific Region
31 October 2013
Russia has often responded to security threats on its borders by investing in its far-eastern regions. However, that investment tends to wane once these threats have subsided. According to Victor Larin, that's because Moscow fears the prospect of the East eventually breaking away from the center.More
Does Russia view the creation of a Eurasian Union as an opportunity to expand its influence over its 'near abroad'? Not for the time being, writes Kevork Oskanian, but if recent policy shifts by former Soviet Republics are any indication, it is a distinct possibility. More
// Security Watch
Violent Radicalisation in Bangladesh: A Second Wave?
28 October 2013
How has the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) managed to bypass Bangladesh's zero-tolerance policy towards religious extremists? It's quite simple, says Iftekharul Bashar. Just like other fringe groups, it's making full use of the Internet and other IT platforms to advance its agenda anonymously.More
As a 'non-bloc' country, Ukraine needs to adopt a defense posture that reflects its geopolitical realities. According to Wojicech Lorenzo, that means cooperating with NATO and the EU and signing on to the nascent Central and Eastern European Defence Cooperation (CEEDEFCO) initiative. More
Will Abyei's long-term future lie with Sudan or South Sudan? With a referendum about to occur on this issue, our IRIN experts not only outline what Khartoum's and Juba's strategic interests are in the region, they also wonder if in the cases of security and stability the referendum represents no choice at all.More
Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) have been slow to attract attention in military circles until now, that is. Today, Jon Rosamond looks at the technological advances that are enabling the development of unmanned submersibles and which countries are leading the way.More
Nicolas Maduro's Plan Patria Segura has put over 40,000 policemen and military personnel onto the crime-ridden streets of Venezuela. According to Sarah Kinosian, the deployment confirms that Maduro has failed to develop a set of policies that effectively tackle the country's domestic insecurity just like his predecessor. More
// Blog
Putting the ICC's Kenya Cases on Ice
28 October 2013
Will the UN Security Council agree to postpone the ICC's prosecution of Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, as Kenya wants it to? Mark Kersten believes that's possible, especially since deferring the case is unlikely to damage the reputation of those Western states now thought to be drafting such a resolution.More
Inevitable Transhumanism? How Emerging Strategic Technologies Will Affect the Future of Humanity
29 October 2013
Emerging strategic technologies such as artificial intelligence are beginning to pose fresh challenges for global politics and international security. It's time then for a set of international moral and bioethical guidelines to govern their use, writes Nayef Al-Rodhan.More
Tony Abbott has vowed to deliver a defense white paper that spells out the roles Australia would like Indonesia to play in their region. With 18 months to go until publication, Daniel Grant is already warning against assigning Jakarta a 'buffer role' that it's unlikely to accept.More
When it comes to peace negotiations, it's a widely held belief that if you included participants beyond the warring parties, then the final agreement will be more durable. Well, if that's true, asks Corinne von Burg, then why do so many peace processes remain more exclusive than inclusive?More
The West's attempts to curtail funding for terrorist groups have increasingly put it at odds with charitable organizations. Today, the CSS' Owen Frazer outlines the steps that both governments and charities need to take in order to ensure that counterterrorist policies do not create a 'humanitarian vacuum'.More
// Video
Hard Diplomacy and Soft Coercion, Russia's Influence Abroad
In this video, Chatham House's James Sherr talks about the role of soft power in Russia's foreign policy. More specifically, he talks about the differences between Western and Russian perceptions of soft power and the way in whichRussia's Soviet past shapes the country's business culture. More
Strategy: A History
In this video, the eminent Lawrence Freedman, who is a Professor of War Studies at King's College London, discusses his book "Strategy: A History." Freedman not only focuses on the evolution of strategy in the political, business and military spheres, he also traces how theorizing about it relates to actual practice.More
The Kremlin and the Jihadist Issue: Understanding the Russian Situation Today
In this video, Didier Chaudet, who is a well-known security and foreign policy consultant, discusses Islam, Islamism and Jihadism in Russia. More specifically, he looks at the history of Islam within the country, its role in contemporary politics, the impact of Jihadism in the North Caucasus region, and Russia's broader policies toward the Muslim world. More
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Next week, our editorial focus examines security issues affecting Russia.
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