Central Asia Leaves Russia’s Orbit and Becomes a Focus of American Strategy

Russia no longer sets the terms. What remains of its position, including the reliance of Central Asian exporters on Russian rail and Kazatomprom’s 25 percent share in Russia’s Novouralsk enrichment plant, consists of vestiges of a past influence. Whether Washington can match its announcements with finished mines, refineries, and railways will decide how durable its new position proves, and the outcome will be settled between American and Chinese capital, with Moscow watching from the sidelines.

The Sausage and the Latte: Two Worlds Within One Language

At first glance, the social anthropology of Israeli society appears to fall outside the scope of PSCRP research. This is not the case, however, when we examine the two major waves of immigration from the former Soviet Union over the past thirty years. Their defining characteristics are rooted in the conflicts of the post-Soviet space. Life in Israel has not entirely erased this underlying framework, and we can reasonably assert that the conflict between the “Sausage Aliyah” of the 1990s and the “Pumpkin Relocation” that began in February 2022 is a conflict within the post-Soviet space—a space of minds, worldviews, values, and lifestyles.

“Perished Civilization”: A Historical Investigation That Offers a New Perspective on the Caucasus

In September 2026, the book “Znykla tsyvilizatsiia — nepomichena katastrofa” (Perished Civilization — An Overlooked Catastrophe) by a Ukrainian historian writing under the pseudonym Kuzari was published in Ukraine by the Kyiv-based publishing house Zaliznyi Tato. The publication of this book is noteworthy not only for its subject matter but also for the circumstances surrounding its release. The Ukrainian researcher addresses one of the most painful and politically sensitive chapters in the history of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, proposing that it be examined within the broader context of Moscow's centuries-long expansion. At the same time, the author conceals his identity, uses an unusual philosophical pseudonym, and bases his research on an extensive body of historical documents and testimonies.

Kazakhstan Today: Economy, Society, and Demographic Transformation. Part I.

The analysis below examines statistical data on contemporary Kazakhstan, focusing on interconnected changes in the economy, social structure, and demographic profile. Much of the statistical evidence used here comes from materials presented at the National Think Tank Forum on August 21, 2026. The forum brought together representatives of four major state-affiliated policy research institutions in Kazakhstan, specializing respectively in social development (Kazakhstan Institute for Public Development), economic policy (Economic Research Institute), industrial policy (QazIndustry), and education (A. Baitursynuly National Center for Education Research and Evaluation “Taldau”). Together, these institutions constitute an important part of Kazakhstan’s state policy research and analytical infrastructure.

Herzog’s Visit to Baku and the Hijab Controversy: Who Was Behind the “Israeli Connection” Narrative?

Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Azerbaijan to attend the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). Addressing the summit, he emphasized, among other things, that Azerbaijan, under President Ilham Aliyev’s leadership, had become a model of stability, demonstrating economic growth and strengthening ties with countries across the region. Herzog described the decision to hold the summit in Azerbaijan as symbolic, stressing that the country serves as an example of regional partnership, tolerance, and confidence-building.

Competing Islams in Central Asia

More than three decades after the Soviet collapse, analysts still ask whether Central Asia is “Islamizing.” The question assumes a single Islam and a single direction of travel, and it casts the region’s future as a contest between faith and secular statehood. The evidence points elsewhere. Central Asia is becoming more Islamic and more nationalist at the same time, and the real struggle is over which Islam will define its future.

The Kremlin Stays Silent: Russia’s Neighbors Are Building a Region Without It

On October 2, Ilham Aliyev told the congress of his ruling New Azerbaijan Party in Baku that the world has two superpowers and “there is no third.” Russia went unnamed. Six days later, the presidents of Central Asia and Azerbaijan met at the Turkmen Caspian resort of Avaza to take up trade, energy, transport and regional security. No Russian leader was among the attendees.

Minority Voters in Latvia’s 2026 Election

The 2026 Saeima election again offered Latvia’s Russophone electorate several distinct political choices. Sovereign Power/Young Latvians (SV/AJ) received 11.71% of the national vote, while Latvia First (LPV) secured 13.08%. For Stability! fell to 1.997%, and the renewed Harmony Centre got only 0.82%. LTV’s post-election analysis identified LPV and SV/AJ as the two main choices among Russian-speaking voters.

BESA Post-Soviet Conflicts Research Digest No. 36 (September 2026)

In September 2026, the PSCRP publications dealt mostly with the issues of geopolitical (re)alignments (in the Baltics and the South Caucasus) and the electoral process (in Russia and Kazakhstan).

Intra-Elite Outcomes of the Formation of a New Composition and Leadership of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Following the 2026 Elections

The formation of the State Duma of the ninth convocation following the elections of September 18–20, 2026, was accompanied not only by an updating of the personal composition of the chamber, but also by a redistribution of leadership positions within parliamentary factions, committees, and standing commissions. The assessments presented in analytical materials permit examination of this process through several interrelated aspects: the correlation of party forces, continuity of leadership, personnel movements, changes in the organizational structure of committees, and mechanisms for coordinating key appointments.