Editorial paper at Robert Lansing Institute

Moscow gets foreign intelligence assets involved to block military aid to Ukraine

Against the background of the failed military invasion of Ukraine and growing international military assistance to Kyiv, Moscow is actively, both directly and indirectly, using its most valuable intelligence assets…

May 17, 2022Randal Paul, Russia, USA

Geopolitics

Beijing enhances power in the South Pacific by signing pact with the Solomon Islands to challenge the USA in the region

China is close to sign a controversial defense pact with the Solomon Islands. The pact will turn the tiny Melanesian nation into a logistical hub for Chinese warships in a strategic region of the…

May 16, 2022China, Solomon Islands

Governance

Change of leader in South Ossetia: FSB to save money, fight corruption and abuses by GRU

Alan Gagloev, an opposition candidate, chairman of the Nykhaz party, former KGB operative won the presidential election in unrecognized puppet South Ossetia, with 54% of the vote. He defeated the…

May 13, 2022Russia, South Ossetia

Estimates National Security

Lobbyists seeking workarounds for China to circumvent sanctions on Russian energy companies

Russian Gazprombank has doubled down on minimizing the impact by the sanctions, searching for ways to circumvent them.Gas buyers have opened accounts in Gazprombank JSC, to pay in rubles for Russian gas. China looks like priority area, as…

May 12, 2022China, Gazprombank, Russia

Democracy Geoeconomics

Turkmen women’s right restrictions signal about Ashgabat-Taliban cooperation

The Turkmen president change and the further women's right restrictions show clearly that Ashgabat plans to cooperate deeply with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Since Serdar Berdymukhammedov succeeded his father…

May 11, 2022Afghanistan, Turkmenistan

Corruption Geoeconomics

Hungary: no more sanctions on Russia, as top leaders defend their own corrupt interests

Some businesses in Hungary, tied to Viktor Orban and operating in strategic sectors, have Sberbank accounts, as they carry out various projects together with Russian partners. Gas traiders, railroad car builders, transport services, logistics, construction and nuclear energy are…

May 9, 2022Hungary, Russia

Democracy ideology

New round of anti-Semitism in Russia

Russia is about to resume a showdown with Israel, likely to get bilateral relations into the Cold War, as domestic anti-Semitism is growing. The statement by Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov,…

May 5, 2022anti-semitism

Corruption Intelligence ops

Diplomatic passport cover to avoid sanctions requires the Vienna Convention privileges being restricted

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs makes a practice of the international sanction-free scheme to provide high-ranking Russians with a free pass to Europe and the United States, as well…

May 4, 2022Russia

Democracy Governance

Somalia: unblocked presidential elections amid risks of deepening crisis

Election of parliament leaders in Somalia paves way for presidential vote. After the protracted delays and obstacles in choosing the members of parliament, the election of the parliamentary leadership is a…

May 2, 2022Somalia

Governance

Putin likely not capable of functioning by year end

Putin's health worsens fast, raising questions whether he is capable of functioning. Consensus estimates agree the regime is about to change in winter 2022-2023. The Kremlin risks, otherwise, being run by a disabled…

April 28, 2022Putin, Russia

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