Russia’s Recognition Of The Taliban: Strategic Implications For Israel And The Wider Middle East

In July 2025, Russia became the first permanent member of the UN Security Council to officially recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. This landmark decision followed years of gradual diplomatic engagement and reflected shifting geopolitical priorities in Moscow. The move carries significant implications for regional security, international law, and the balance of power across Central and South Asia.

Russian Views on Israel’s Decision on Striking Iran’s Nuclear Program

The current article provides a glimpse into Russia’s reaction and comprehension of the 12-day war in the Middle East. Israel and the United States targeted Iran’s nuclear program to reduce the threat to the nuclear nonproliferation regime. However, Russian experts believe that this approach also carries the risk of favoring military force over diplomatic solutions.

Moscow’s Weakness Behind the Crisis With Baku

The events of June 27, in Yekaterinburg signify not just a mishandled law enforcement operation —they mark a potential turning point in post-Soviet regional order. The deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijani brothers during Russian police raids have exposed the limits of Moscow's traditional tools of influence and highlighted the growing assertiveness of its former allies.

Spontaneous Protests in Dagestan: Potential for Resistance or a Safety Valve?

Dagestan is one of the few Russian regions where grassroots protest activity remains persistent and visible, despite increasing pressure from the central government. These protests are driven by local grievances ranging from failing infrastructure to unresolved land disputes, and are typically fragmented, spontaneous, and low in impact. However, as this report demonstrates, under certain conditions, they can expose deeper systemic weaknesses and even catalyze broader unrest.

The Nuclear Dimensions of the War in Ukraine

Public "nuclear" fears associated with the war in Ukraine are largely related to the threat of tactical nuclear weapons use by Russia. However, the less visible "nuclear" dimension of the war—with more tangible impact—is the effect of the conflict on nuclear sites in Ukraine. This report explores how the conflict has placed Ukraine’s nuclear facilities at the center of a uniquely perilous dimension of modern warfare.

The Impact of the War in Ukraine on the South Caucasus: The End of “the Near Abroad” For Russia

The overall situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan has undergone substantial changes in recent years. Both are engaged in peace negotiations that involve numerous difficult decisions on both sides - from border demarcation to the future of regional infrastructure projects such as the Zangezur Corridor. On April 19, 2024, Armenia agreed to return four abandoned border villages to Azerbaijan as an initial step in border delimitation.

Russian Nationalists and Ethnic Conflicts in Southern Russia

Russia officially became a nationalist state in the summer of 2020, when the constitution was amended to declare Russian the state language as “the language of the state-forming people”. That same summer saw the birth of the “Russian Community”. It has since grown into the most numerous and influential nationalist and “protectionist” movement, displacing both the neo-Nazis and the Cossacks.

“Russian” Israel’s view of the Russian-Ukrainian War and Moscow’s Policies in the Middle East

Since Benjamin Netanyahu’s return to power in February 2009, the intensification of Israel’s foreign policy toward Russia has been evident across nearly all levels — from intergovernmental and interparliamentary contacts to joint commissions on trade, economic and cultural cooperation.

Kadyrov vs. Ingushetia: From Territorial Disputes to Shootout at Wildberries Headquarters

Chechens (Nokhchi) and Ingush (Galgai) are two closely related peoples. Not only are they neighbors: they share religion (Sufi Sunnism), tribal (teip) social structure, traditions, mutually intelligible languages, and historical fate: both peoples were subject to deportation in 1944. The prerequisites for the territorial dispute were laid with the redrawing of the borders of the restored autonomy after the return of the Vainakhs from deportation.

Changes in Non-EU Suffrage in Estonia: Reasons and Potential Consequences

On 26 March 2025, the Estonian parliament (Riigikogu) voted on changing the country’s constitution in the part defining who is eligible to vote in local (municipal, in the case of cities) elections. On the surface, this measure does not look extraordinary, however, if we take into account the context of the Estonian sociodemographic situation, it becomes clear why the issue of municipal suffrage turned into one of the most discussed Estonian news topics in recent months.