Category: Russia

‘Gems, Warlords and Mercenaries’: Russia’s sharp power playbook in Africa

     

Russia lacks China’s muscle when it comes to trade and infrastructure. But it has other assets. One is a shrewd appreciation of the political needs of African dictators, another is… Read more »

Russia’s election countdown: opposition pressured by Kremlin

     

Russia’s liberal opposition has been subjected to all kinds of pressure in the last few months, from leaked clandestine sex tapes to dubious court cases and physical violence. As parliamentary… Read more »

Brexit would bolster Russia’s geopolitical narratives

     

On balance, a British withdrawal from the EU would bolster Russia’s preferred geopolitical narratives and make it more difficult for the West to counter Russian power plays, argues James Nixey,… Read more »

Soft Power the Russian Way: Proxy Groups in the Contested Neighbourhood

     

  Anxious about losing ground to Western influence in the post-Soviet space and the ousting of many pro-Russia elites by popular electoral uprisings, the Kremlin has developed a wide range… Read more »

Panama Papers give glimpse through keyhole of kleptocracy

     

The Panama Papers are a glimpse through a keyhole of an orgy of tax evasion, money laundering and kleptocracy – amid the legitimate financial planning – hosted by the world’s… Read more »