Alexander Babin

Joe Biden Comedy Bids ‘Goodbye’ to Intelligent Russian TV Satire

Any chuckles are laden with cringe in this unfunny show following Joe Biden through the contrasts between Russia and the West.
5 Min read
Robert Amsterdam

Religious Freedom Is Under Attack in Wartime Ukraine

The West must continue to support Ukraine. But this must not come at the cost of a crackdown on civil liberties.
5 Min read
Saahil Menon

Russia Supporting Houthi Rebels Is Diplomatic Suicide

A notorious Russian arms dealer is selling weapons to the Iran-backed militia, risking Moscow's delicate relationship with the Gulf States.
3 Min read
Davit Zedelashvili

Russia Is Playing a Long Game. Georgia Cannot Fight It Alone

Moscow would never accept having a democracy on its doorstep – even a flawed one.
5 Min read
Dmytro Zhmailo

What Has Ukraine Achieved in the Kursk Offensive?

By taking the war to Russia's turf, Ukraine threw a wrench in Moscow's plans and exposed holes in the Kremlin's victory plans.
3 Min read
Ivan U. Klyszcz

Russia Is Holding Back Other BRICS Members

Moscow is rightly a global pariah. BRICS' aspirations would be better served without Russia tainting their proposals.
5 Min read
Boris Bondarev

In Defense of Antonio Guterres’ Appearance at BRICS in Russia

How can you shake hands with an aggressor? Well, if you are the Secretary General of the United Nations, it is your job.
4 Min read
Andrey Pertsev

How Russia Returned to Gerontocracy

The Russian regime increasingly resembles the gerontocracy that ran the late Soviet Union. Some elderly officials are starting to die on the job.
5 Min read
Elena Davlikanova

Kyiv Has Said What Peace for Ukraine Should Look Like. Will Allies Listen?

Ukraine is caught between a rock and a hard place. It will need more than warm words to secure a safe future for the country.
4 Min read
Anthony V. Rinna

North Koreans Fighting for Russia Put Warm Words into Practice

Moscow and Pyongyang have pulled closer together since the invasion of Ukraine. But whether it will benefit North Korea is yet to be seen.
5 Min read
David Junk

It's Said 'Hip Hop Can Save the World.' Can it Save Russia?

The genre has long been able to capture the attention of young people. It's no coincidence that the Kremlin is cracking down on rappers.
5 Min read
Abubakar Yangulbaev

Kadyrov's 'Blood Feud' Is a New Escalation in His Power Play

Kadyrov's declaration of a “blood feud” marks the emergence of an ancient Chechen traditional justice on the national stage.
4 Min read
Ruchi Kumar

Why Russia Doesn’t Think the Taliban Are Terrorists Anymore

Moscow sees the insurgent group as a way of ensuring its trade and security interests in the Central Asian “graveyard of empires.”
5 Min read
Konstantin Pakhalyuk

What Does the Kremlin Mean by ‘Russophobia?'

Moscow says they’re banning “Russophobia.” But they’re really banning criticism of the country’s policies.
6 Min read
Jason Corcoran

Honeytrap Russian Spy Scandal Shows Ireland Is Europe’s Soft Underbelly

While Ireland speculates about which politician was seduced into working for a Russian spy, Dublin must reckon with their exposure to hybrid warfare.
4 Min read
Andras Toth-Czifra

Could Putin’s ‘New Elite’ of Soldier-Politicians Backfire?

Artyom Zhoga was chosen as the Kremlin’s representative in the Urals. But the ambitions of these veterans and commanders could grow.
5 Min read
Jack Margolin

Russia’s Convict Soldiers Put Quantity Over Quality on the Battlefield

Moscow cannot rely forever on recruiting convicts to fight in Ukraine. The costs of this Wagner-inspired approach are becoming clear.
6 Min read
Alexander Kolyandyr

How the West Seeks to Make Russia's Sanctions Evasion More Expensive

Washington and Brussels appear to believe making it more expensive to get around Western restrictions will fuel inflation in Russia and boost inefficiency...
5 Min read