The Pipeline Dimension of the Zangezur Corridor Project: History and Geopolitical Context

The rapid surge in the volatility of political processes globally, particularly in Israel's geopolitical landscape over the past two years, has brought about an unexpected outcome: longstanding geopolitical analysis methods, developed over decades, have started to fall behind the swift changes occurring in the very subject they aim to study. This fully applies to the analysis of the map of interests of the participants in the big game around the Zangezur Corridor—a 40-kilometer-long extraterritorial logistics route connecting two parts of Azerbaijan.

Alliances born out of radicalization: A look into the cooperation between indigenous secessionist movements in Russia

Secessionist movements have existed in Russia for as long as the Russian Federation itself. As of late 2021, pro-independence voices enjoyed little recognition outside of niche internet communities—mainstream ethnic activism criticized the government but not to the point of demanding secession. This started changing when Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Congress of the Oirat-Kalmyk People provides an example of this shift.

How to Effectively Engage Azerbaijan in Trump’s Regional Plans and in Israel’s Interests: Practical Recommendations

The concept and recommendations presented below were developed by the authors, who are Israeli experts, based on discussions with several former Israeli diplomats and ex-Knesset members, as well as with several American and Azerbaijani Jews. What unites us all is a commitment to strengthening regional alliances and deepening Israel’s integration into the "Greater Middle East." Our approach is guided solely by the long-term interests of the Jewish state.

Turkmenistan’s Shift Towards The Moscow-Tehran-Beijing Axis

In the ongoing geopolitical conflict between Iran and Israel, Iran’s relations with post-Soviet states—especially those with which it shares a direct border—play a crucial role. The tensions between Iran and Azerbaijan are well-known to experts, same goes for Iran’s close ties with Armenia. However, a less frequently discussed yet highly significant aspect is the nature of Iran’s relationship with the third post-Soviet state with which it shares a border—Turkmenistan.

Monthly Monitoring of Analytical Publications on Post-Soviet Conflicts

PSCRP is launching a program of monthly monitoring of analytical publications from the world's leading universities and think tanks, which in one way or another affect the study of political processes in the former USSR.

BESA Post-Soviet Conflicts Research Digest No. 16 (January 2025)

In the first month of 2025, the papers authored by the PSCRP researchers covered a broad range of post-Soviet subregions, including the South Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, and the Baltics.

Russia: The Karelian Question

Karelia is the only republic within the Russian Federation where Russian is the only state language, while the local language is deprived of any status, whether formal or not. The reason for this is the federal law adopted by the State Duma in 2002, which prohibits the use of any alphabet other than the Cyrillic alphabet for the state languages of the constituent republics of the Russian Federation.

Azerbaijan Crisis Management: A Case Study in Statecraft

The crisis has demonstrated that effective confrontation with Russia requires a delicate balance: maintaining firmness while preserving diplomatic channels. Azerbaijan's handling of the situation offers valuable lessons in modern statecraft, showing that even regional powers can successfully manage conflicts with larger nations through calculated, strategic responses while pursuing concrete diplomatic objectives.

“Separatism”: Russia vs. Komi Ethnic Activists

Over the centuries, the Russian state expanded its ethnic base through the assimilation of Finno-Ugric peoples, the indigenous population of the north of the European part of the present-day Russian Federation and Western Siberia.

Book Discussion: “How Geography and Institutions Shaped the Development of Nations”

The monograph analyzes the intersection of institutions and geography on the examples from various parts of the world, and the impact that different combinations of institutional and geographical systems have on nations’ development.