Russia’s ultra-patriots are not a cohesive force. They are a motley collection of amateur groups that coalesce around leaders who are ambitious, jealous, and incapable of working with each other. The late mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was until recently considered a leading Russian politician—with some even believing he could be …
Read More »How Turkey Became A Drone Superpower – OpEd
Turkey’s advancements in defense technology, particularly the Bayraktar TB-2 drone, have played a pivotal role in conflicts such as the war between Russia and Ukraine. Turkey has also emerged as the largest exporter of drones since 2018, highlighting the importance of drone technology for its defense and projection on the …
Read More »What Does The ‘Aleppo Model’ Mean For Assad? – OpEd
In a recent article, the Turkish pro-government media outlet Daily Sabah introduced the concept of the “Aleppo model” — a scheme to make areas in northern Syria safe, secure and livable in order to encourage the repatriation of Syrian refugees. This follows a survey by the UN refugee agency UNHCR …
Read More »Time To Tap Growth Opportunities In The Middle East And North Africa – OpEd
For centuries, Arab nations led the world in the pursuit of knowledge and in scientific innovation and were among the most economically advanced places on Earth. Today, the Middle East and North Africa—nations with diverse political and economic landscapes—are at a crossroads. Recent decades saw major changes, including the Arab …
Read More »PMC Redut: The Wagner Group’s Potential Replacement – Analysis
The death of Yevgeny Prigozhin and his right-hand man, Dmitry Utkin, can signify huge changes in the realm of private military companies (PMCs) in Russia. Particularly, there is a PMC that has been emerging and, now that the chain of command in Wagner has collapsed, at least temporarily, PMC Redut …
Read More »How Can NATO Overcome Russia’s Black Sea Blockade?
Following the breakdown of the grain deal between Russia and Ukraine, how can NATO partners help to mitigate the impact of Russia’s effective blockade of Ukrainian ports? In a recent article, Admiral James G Stavridis, the former NATO SACEUR, suggested that a NATO-led convoying system in the Black Sea could …
Read More »The Nigerien Coup That (Should Not Have) Surprised the World
Regional and international actors were unprepared for the coup in Niger. They should now plan for further instability. In a shocking turn of events, an attempted coup has thrown Niger into turmoil as President Mohamed Bazoum found himself held captive by the very people meant to protect him – the …
Read More »Building Up the BRICS: An Emerging Counter-West Order?
While it is too early to declare the end of the US-led liberal international system and the rise of a BRICS-led counterweight, the Johannesburg summit highlights that the West is increasingly confronted by a multipolar world in which its position and the idea of a single global order are being …
Read More »Furthering Global Britain? Reviewing the Foreign Policy Effect of UK Engagement in East Africa
This paper provides background on recent UK policy towards East Africa, summarises the research findings for RUSI’s project ‘Furthering Global Britain? Reviewing the Foreign Policy Effect of UK Engagement in East Africa’ and offers recommendations for the UK government with relevance both to the region and to an integrated foreign …
Read More »Afghanistan: A Final British Betrayal?
Two years ago, on 28 August 2021, the final British evacuation flight took off from Kabul airport. Thus ended 20 years of British endeavour in Afghanistan. Some was ineffectual, but some inspirational. This is the story of a major success, but with a decidedly bitter aftertaste. Just before midnight on …
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