By: Simon A. Miles This round of Russian elections were not intended to produce a surprise result. A “managed democracy” such as Russia with its hobbled opposition, muzzled media, and rampant vote rigging is by its very nature supposed to hand sizeable victories to the ruling party: Vladimir Putin’s United Russia. However, the Duma (parliamentary) Read More…
Eastern Europe and Russia
Eastern Europeean and Russian Region
A Modern Missile Gap
By: Simon Miles Russia will deploy its own missiles, with enhanced missile defence penetration technology, if the US and NATO do not halt in their project for a pan-European missile defence network, President Dimitri Medvedev warned. Furthermore, the western enclave of Kaliningrad will be host to a new arsenal of tactical weapons. With obvious relish, Read More…
NATO’s Future Role in the Abkhazia Dispute
By: Simon A. Miles Following the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia, President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia declared the Georgian breakaway republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and even Georgia itself, to be within Russia’s sphere of influence. Though Russia has deescalated to a war of words, the dispute over Abkhazia remains an important concern Read More…
A Russian Job Trade
By: Gemma Louise Thom During an address to the United Russia Party congress, Vladimir Putin accepted an offer to run for Presidency in the March 2012 elections. The proposal, made by the current President, Dmitry Medvedev, came as no surprise. This decisive move will potentially allow Putin, the current Prime Minister and former President, to Read More…
A War for Oil?
Dr. Dmitri Rogozin, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to NATO, takes aim at the Alliance’s humanitarian intervention in Libya.