A recent border clash between Iranian and Taliban forces marked the latest phase of a longstanding water rights dispute between the two countries. The fighting might upend Tehran’s relationship with Taliban leaders, which is already burdened by the Taliban’s brutal treatment of Shia Muslims and some Persian-speaking Afghan groups. Both …

As Russia continues its assault on Ukraine, the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) is keeping a close eye on Russia’s movements across the military, cyber, and information domains. With more than seven years of experience monitoring the situation in Ukraine—as well as Russia’s use of propaganda and disinformation …

Nothing written excuses or condones Russia’s actions. The Russian invasion is a war of aggression and a violation of international law. An attempt at understanding the Russian perspective on their war does not endorse the invasion, occupation and war crimes committed, and it certainly does not imply the Russians had …

Turkish shelling in northern Syria early Monday hit a vehicle killing one Russian soldier and wounding several others, Syrian Kurdish media and an opposition war monitor reported. Monday’s shelling came after a day of violence between U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters and Turkish troops in northern Syria left several dead on the …

How to Keep Autonomous Weapons From Stumbling Into Conflict On March 14, a U.S. surveillance drone was on a routine mission in international airspace over the Black Sea when it was intercepted by two Russian fighter jets. For nearly half an hour, the jets harassed the American system, an MQ-9 …

The Wagner chief’s furious attack on elites and the war could portend turmoil with potential to extend well beyond Moscow. Is the post-Putin era in Russia at hand? Probably not yet, barring an unlikely collapse of Russian forces in Ukraine. But a furious public attack on Russia’s entire war effort …

Democracy and legality haven’t solved the problem so the US must also rely on humanity, reality, self-interest, and sheer common sense. In the appallingly complicated politics of the western Balkans, one thing at least is abundantly clear: that without the presence of Western troops, and the threat of NATO military …

They’re distorting Biden’s position to score ideological points while also presenting the more aggressive approach as the answer. The China policy debate in this country is increasingly detached from reality. Confronted with a Biden administration policy that is quite hawkish and confrontational, some China hawks have decided to invent an …

Reports said Cuba’s Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz had arrived in Russia for an official visit aims at strengthening bilateral ties. “We have arrived in the fraternal Russian Federation for an official visit in order to expand and strengthen bilateral relations between our countries, which have been continuously maintained since …

There is very weird stuff going on lately with the relations between Russia and Belarus, on the one hand, and Kazakhstan, on the other, within the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) which also includes Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. Speaking at the summit of the EAEU, held on May 24-25, 2023, in Moscow, …