Putin’s Boost-Phase Defense: The Offer That Wasn’t
When President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is ready to work together with the United States on building a missile defense system, it was quite a surprise, to say the…
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Russia
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Russia’s New Caspian Policy
This memo outlines and interprets Russia's new, self-styled "active policy" in the Caspian Sea launched under Vladimir Putin to promote and defend Russia's regional interests. This "active policy" takes shape…
Russia’s Belarus Dilemma
Russia’s Belarus dilemma can be formulated as two questions. Should Moscow continue the process of political integration with Belarus–which necessarily entails interaction with and support of the regime of President…
The Forgotten Abkhazia: Anatomy of Post-Socialist Ethnic War
Local wars in the Caucasus have always tended to follow precedents–whether in the 19th century, in 1917-21, or in the period of 1989-94. It remains uncertain whether the NATO operation…
Why Soviet History Matters in Russia
When the Soviet Union broke apart nine years ago, many observers hoped that the new Russian government headed by Boris Yeltsin would disclose all the records of the Soviet regime…
Russia’s Strategic Partnerships and Global Security
In the first post-Cold War decade the international system has experienced a period of relative peace among the great powers not seen since the Concert of Europe made its debut…
The Chinese are Coming: Public Opinion and Threat Perception in the Russian Far East
Unpublished data from the passport and visa registration service of Primorsky krai, interdepartmental memos from the Pacific Regional Directorate of the Russian Federal Border Service, and this author's interviews with…
International Terrorism in the Southern Tier: Perceived or Real Threat to Russia’s Security?
The struggle against international terrorism has become one of Russia's top declared foreign policy priorities. The threat posed to Russia's security by international terrorism is usually described as the consolidation…
Securitizing Russia’s Debt
Getting Russia's foreign debt right is crucial to Western security. More than IMF programs, cooperatively dismantling nuclear weapons, or meeting terrorist threats, forging the basis for constructive Russian international integration…
Central Asia’s Stability and Russia’s Security
In August 2000, as in 1999, Islamic rebels tested the strength of Central Asian government forces. Kyrgyzstan was badly hit again; what is more, Uzbek soldiers struggled to battle the…