Russia Archives - Robert Lansing Institute

The Smetanin Network: Russian and Belarusian Logistics Influence Inside the EU

Poland hosts a network of logistics companies that are effectively controlled by Russian and Belarusian owners who continue to circumvent European Union sanctions imposed on Russia. The central figure in…

June 18, 2026Belarus, Poland, Russia

Geopolitics Governance

Bardella’s Repositioning and the Erosion of Russia’s Influence in the European Far Right

The statements by Jordan Bardella, leader of France’s National Rally (Rassemblement National) and one of the leading contenders in the next presidential election, reflect a broader transformation underway within Europe’s…

June 17, 2026France, Russia

Geopolitics

The Murder of Semyon Skrepetsky in Poland: A Russian Signal to Lukashenko and an Attempt to Prevent Belarus’s Westward Maneuver

The murder of Russian opposition artist Semyon Skrepetsky in the Polish city of Biała Podlaska, near the Belarusian border, should be viewed not merely as a criminal act but also as…

June 16, 2026Belarus, Lukashenko, Russia

Terrorism War crimes

Russian strike on a UNESCO World Heritage Site

During the night of June 14–15, 2026, the Russian Armed Forces launched a massive combined strike against Ukraine using attack UAVs and air- and ground-launched missiles. The primary target of…

June 15, 2026Russia, Ukraine

Governance influence ops

From “Three Ukraines” to “Two Germanys”: Russian Influence Narratives and the Exploitation of Regional Identities in Europe

The statement by the leader of the Thuringia branch of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), Björn Höcke, claiming a supposed mental and cultural “difference” between East and West Germans has…

June 12, 2026AfD, Germany, Russia

Intelligence ops

Beyond Sanctions Evasion: The Intelligence and Security Dimension of Russia’s Shadow Fleet

Representatives of Russian paramilitary formations are reportedly present aboard tankers belonging to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.” Specifically, individuals wearing uniforms are stationed on these vessels despite not being members of…

June 11, 2026Russia, Wagner Group

Geopolitics influence ops

Georgia: The U.S. Audit of Russian and Chinese Influence in the South Caucasus

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a bill calling for an investigation into the activities of Russian and Chinese intelligence services in Georgia, as well as the preparation of…

June 10, 2026Georgia, Russia, USA

Governance influence ops National Security

EU Enlargement at Risk: Serbia’s Citizenship Policy and the Challenge of Russian Influence

The growing number of Russian citizens acquiring Serbian citizenship and thereby gaining visa-free access to the European Union presents potential security risks for the EU. According to a European Commission…

June 9, 2026EU, Russia, Serbia

Economy Geoeconomics Geopolitics National Security

The Potash Trap for Washington: How Minsk and Moscow Are Seeking to Leverage U.S. Interest in the Nezhinsky Potash Project to Undermine the Sanctions Regime

In December 2025 and again in March 2026, the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) eased certain restrictions affecting Belarus's potash sector and selected financial institutions. Reuters…

June 8, 2026Belarus, Russia, Sanctions, USA

Drug trafficking

Cocaine Scandal Surrounding Metropolitan Hilarion: Implications for the Russian Orthodox Church, Kremlin Influence Networks, and Transnational Illicit Activity

Police in the Czech Republic have officially confirmed that the white powder discovered in the car of Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), the former head of the Czech branch of the Russian…

June 5, 2026Orthodox church, Russia

Russia