ARTICLES
Flare Ups in Nagorno-Karabakh
Saif Islam assesses the factors that could reignite the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2017.
Saif Islam assesses the factors that could reignite the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2017.
While Vladimir Putin may welcome the opportunity to play off two major world powers, he will worry about Russia's interests, writes Saif Islam.
At the start of 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin had reasons to be pessimistic about how the year was going to progress. As the year's end approaches, his and Russia's position on the international scene has improved considerably, thanks to several favourable developments, writes Saif Islam.
Kristen Blyth assesses the new wave of privatisations in the Russia economy and explores the likely impact.
The emergence of Islamic State has had limited impact on Russia so far, but the militant threat should not be ignored, writes Saif Islam.
Russia has justified the arrest and prosecution of several foreign nationals as a crackdownon terrorism and espionage, but critics decry them as wrongful detention, writes Saif Islam.
Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Islam Karimov's recent electoral victories in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were expected. While business seems to be continuing as usual in these countries, the succession question is becoming increasingly important, especially in light of socio-economic challenges and broader geopolitical dynamics, writes Saif Islam.…
NATO-Russia relations have reached a new low amid ongoing tensions in Eastern Europe. Mutual suspicion of each other's interests in the region underscore long-standing obstacles for Euro-Atlantic cooperation, write Lara Sierra-Rubia and Saif Islam.
Although the capture of Debaltseve by pro-Russian separatists may have temporarily frozen the Ukrainian conflict, the roadmap to implementing the second Minsk agreement is fraught with uncertainty and the possibility of further violence, writes Saif Islam.
The growing economic woes facing Russia are unlikely to significantly challenge President Vladimir Putin's grip on power, writes Saif Islam.
The recent terrorist attacks in Chechnya have brought back memories of previous destructive conflicts. Although war is unlikely, the region could be heading for a period of instability, writes Saif Islam.
The downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 prompted an international outcry and has brought Ukraine back to the forefront of the international political agenda. Government forces have made significant advances against pro-Russian rebels in recent weeks. Yet the rising human cost of the conflict threatens to render Kyiv's gains worthless, writes Ted…