Moscow succession: What would happen if Putin dies?
Thyroid cancer, Parkinson’s disease, leprosy or declining in the aftermath of a stroke – just a few of the many unproven ailments rumoured to...
Is Russia now a criminocracy?
Vladimir Putin’s Russia has previously been characterised as a “hybrid regime” that combines both autocratic and democratic elements. Ireneusz Pawel Karolewski and Viktoria Kaina...
Putin orders former Wagner commander to take charge of ‘volunteer units’ in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered one of the top commanders of the Wagner military contractor to take charge of “volunteer units” fighting in...
How worrying is a Russia-Kim Jong Un alliance?
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s reported plans to visit Russia this month have caused concern among the US and its allies. He and...
Vladimir Putin says military cooperation with Kim Jong Un a possibility
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin have discussed “possibilities” for military cooperation, in a highly scrutinised meeting for a suspected arms deal....
Putin Is in a Spy Mess of His Own Making
Less than two years ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin sat alone at a desk in a palatial room lecturing his top national security goons...
Glimpses of an endgame in Ukraine
The problem with the war in Ukraine is that it has been all smoke and mirrors. The Russian objectives of “demilitarisation” and “de-Nazification” of...
Russia’s Toxic Military Politics
No group in history has posed as many dangers as soldiers who feel abandoned by their leaders. Whether they are conscripts, volunteers or mercenaries,...
Putin crackdown on Wagner rebellion creates new weak points in Russian military
The Wagner Group rebellion is expected to have a harmful ripple effect across Russia’s armed forces as the Kremlin works to weed out supporters...
A ceasefire in Ukraine is in America’s interest
If Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shaken the foundations of the international order, a Chinese takeover of Taiwan would lead to a profound global geopolitical...