Following the historic prisoner exchange between Russia and the US in August, Jameson Lisak examines how the exchange happened despite US-Russia relations being at an all-time low, and why foreign nationals remain at risk of politically motivated detentions in Russia.
Global defence spend has accelerated in recent years, reaching historic highs in many countries. Tamsin Hunt examines some of the developments driving increased military spending around the world.
Russia has increased its use of grey-zone tactics against European countries in recent months, from sabotage and jamming GPS signals of planes and ships, to running largescale propaganda and disinformation campaigns. Tamsin Hunt investigates Russia’s motives behind its asymmetric tactics, and the challenges facing European governments in combatting…
Slowly but surely, Ukraine is weakening Russia’s hold on Crimea, bolstered by the recent deployment of advanced long-range Western weapons systems. Richard Gardiner argues that while this will not secure a decisive victory for Ukraine in the war, it will still have significant implications for Russia, which has always viewed Crimea as a critical linchpin…
Islamic State Khorasan Province’s recent attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow Oblast has catapulted the group into international headlines. Today, it seems the group’s increasingly expansive attacks are not only a concern for Central and South Asian countries but have also put Western countries on alert, writes Saif Islam.
The start of 2024 has not been easy for Ukraine, underscored by continued weapons shortages and the loss of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast. Richard Gardiner considers Ukraine’s defence prospects in 2024 and its ability to expose Russia’s looming challenges in 2025 and beyond.
S-RM spoke to Paul Padman, Deputy Head of Crisis Response, about some of the global trends in kidnapping, political evacuations and wrongful detention cases, and to hear about some of the key considerations for S-RM’s Crisis Response team when they are working on a live case.
Saif Islam and Richard Gardiner explore some of the major developments that may influence the trajectory of the conflict in the new year.
Profiling school attackers is complex and wrought with challenges, but mapping the conditions under which attacks happen can shed some light on what prompts them, and how to prevent them, writes Markus Korhonen.
Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death, two months after his failed mutiny against the Russian state, poses yet another setback for the Wagner mercenary group. While likely to see significant change closer to home, the impact on the group’s operations in Africa will not be immediate, writes Saif Islam.
With Ukraine’s long-awaited counteroffensive in southern and eastern Ukraine now under way, pressure will build on Kyiv to demonstrate its forces can make strategic gains and prove to its Western allies that it can win the war. Richard Gardiner discusses the nature of the task at hand, and measures what success and failure would look like for Ukraine.…
As Russia steps up offensive operations, Ukraine will have to endure a nervous wait for vital western military aid, including tanks, that will boost their own ability to stage a counteroffensive in the spring. Richard Gardiner discusses how both sides are under pressure to succeed and considers the trajectory of the conflict over the coming months.