Putin’s immediate intentions are a mystery. His thinking is not
‘Be Afraid’: Has Russia’s Attack on Ukraine Begun?
The signs from Ukraine are bleak as hybrid warfare attacks are already underway.
Do as You’re Told, Russia Tells the Neighborhood
The Kremlin’s decision to activate the CSTO alliance signals an entirely new approach in relations between Russia and its immediate neighbors
Russia’s Liberals Wave a Sad Farewell to Ukraine
Russia and Ukraine are in the midst of a bloody physical and intellectual divorce; liberal intellectuals are the despondent victims
Gas for Russia’s Empire, Cash for the Elites
Behind the Kazakh protests lie a thuggish authoritarian state and a web of murky energy agreements that have made Russian and Kazakh elites wealthy.
Russia Cranks Up the Propaganda Volume
Russian state representatives, the Kremlin’s foreign policy ideologist, and media loyalists are becoming increasingly menacing.
The Colored Steppe
Whatever caused the uprising in Kazakhstan, its brutal Russian-backed suppression again shows Vladimir Putin has a free hand to act in the borderlands.
Emergency on the Steppe: Kazakhstan in Crisis
A delayed political transition between autocrats triggered a bloody fight amongst the Kazakh elite that nearly caused a state collapse.
Why Kazakhstan Exploded
The sudden eruption of protest and violence in Kazakhstan has been quelled by gunfire and hundreds of Russian troops. But profound underlying problems remain
EU Must Stop Moaning on Ukraine and Prepare for a Refugee Crisis
Rather than complain about its exclusion from today’s US-Russia talks, the EU should take on something it really can handle: preparing for waves of Ukrainian refugees