Criminal Networks as Instruments of Hybrid Warfare in Europe
Hybrid warfare refers to the blended use of military and non-military tactics by state or non-state actors to destabilize a target state below the threshold of open war. In Europe,…
The Kiriyenko Blueprint: Turning Moldova’s Election into an Operation
Elections on Sept. 28 will set Moldova’s course: a pro-European future or a return to Russia’s orbit. For years, Moscow has sought to bring Moldova to heel—through the buying of politicians,…
Posted inGeopolitics National Security Nonproliferation
Russia–North Korea Pact Adds a Dangerous Front for Washington
The foreign ministers of the United States, Japan and South Korea warned of the grave security risks posed by Russia’s deepening military cooperation with North Korea. Moscow’s backing for Pyongyang’s…
Posted inDemocracy Intelligence ops National Security
Ballots and Provocations: Moscow’s Election Gambit in Moldova
Less than a week before parliamentary elections, Moldovan authorities conducted 250 searches targeting more than 100 people amid suspicions that Russia is attempting to destabilize the country and sway the…
Posted inGeopolitics National Security Nonproliferation
The standoff over the New START arms-control treaty underscores a serious threat to the United States from Russia.
With treaty visibility gone, allies relying on the U.S. nuclear guarantee face more uncertainty, while the United States must budget for hedge capabilities and monitoring alternatives (national technical means, open-source,…
Posted inGeopolitics National Security
Trump and Lukashenko: Tactical Diplomacy, Strategic Risks
President Trump sent a personal letter to Lukashenko via a special envoy; Washington eased sanctions on Belavia after Minsk released 52 political prisoners; and—for the first time since 2022—U.S. officers…
Posted inGovernance Intelligence ops National Security
Russia’s Hybrid Playbook in France: Extremist Convergence and Information Warfare
Russia is destabilizing French society, turning it against the government and seeking the overthrow of President Emmanuel Macron. This objective is driven by France’s role in Europe and Africa, where…
Posted inGovernance Intelligence ops National Security
Putin’s and Kim Jong Un’s Biological Secrecy During Foreign Visits
During his rare trip to China in 2018, security protocols reportedly included the use of portable toilets brought from Pyongyang. Similar measures were in place under his father, the late Kim Jong Il. This…
SVR Director’s Attack on riedrich Merz: Why the Kremlin Reached for the “Nazi” Label
Russia’s foreign-intelligence chief, Sergey Naryshkin, amplified the Kremlin’s long-running trope that today’s European leaders are steered by “Nazi” ideas—this time aiming the charge at German Chancellor riedrich Merz. The timing and…
Posted inNational Security Warfare
From Consoles to Combat: Russia’s Gamble on Gamer Armies and Accelerated Militarization”
Russia is accelerating the militarization of its society, with plans to increase the proportion of young people in the armed forces. According to our information, the Kremlin intends to form…