September, 2023

• 2 September

  Libya’s political crisis runs deeper than Israel debacle

  

  The diplomatic firestorm unfolding in Libya comes as the United States is pushing the North African country to hold long-awaited nationwide elections. WASHINGTON — At first glance, war-ravaged and politically fractured Libya is an unlikely candidate for normalizing relations with Israel’s far-right government. For starters, it’s unclear whether the unelected, …

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• 2 September

  The Quiet Conflict in the South Caucasus is at the Crux of Global Geopolitics

  

  The Nagorno-Karabakh enclave has been subjected to a devastating monthslong blockade. Wars have consequences — and they are drastically different for the winners and losers. In the South Caucasus, a region far from most Americans’ attention, the democratic republic of Armenia lost a short but devastating war three years ago …

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• 2 September

  China Ponders Russia’s Logistical Challenges in the Ukraine War

  

  China is paying close attention to how Russia’s logistical failures hampered its invasion of Ukraine – particularly as China will face an even steeper logistical challenge should it attack Taiwan. In shaping patterns of future warfare, there is little doubt that militaries across the world will be seeking to absorb …

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• 1 September

  Occupied Ukraine’s Turncoat Elites Struggle to Make Their Mark in Russian Politics

  

  The aspiration of former Ukrainian politicians working in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine to be treated as equals by the Kremlin has not been realized, and the unpredictability of the ongoing war makes them increasingly vulnerable. Ever since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Russia has been integrating representatives of local …

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• 1 September

  Prigozhin’s Mutiny Shatters Illusion of Powerful Media Empire

  

  Prigozhin’s media empire was conceived as a contractor that would perform functions for the state while remaining under external management. But it turns out that receiving billions of dollars in taxpayers’ money is no guarantee of either effectiveness or loyalty. One of the consequences of businessman and mercenary leader Yevgeny …

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• 1 September

  Why Yevgeny Prigozhin Had to Die

  

  The way in which Prigozhin was apparently killed suggests the Kremlin wanted to show how it deals with traitors. Whatever really happened, the Russian elite will see the air crash as retribution for Wagner’s armed uprising. “They got him in the end.” This was a common reaction to the news …

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• 1 September

  Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Has Rocked Moldovan Politics

  

  Sensing the changing mood, many left-wing parties and politicians in Moldova have begun criticizing the war and reversing their pro-Russian positions. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has turned life upside down for traditionally pro-Russian political parties in Moldova. Public calls for closer ties to Russia have become extremely rare, and …

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• 1 September

  What’s Behind China’s Strategic Partnership With Georgia?

  

  With Western powers distracted by the war in Ukraine, China appears to be making cautious moves to cement its position in the wider Black Sea region. The strategic partnership agreement released by Beijing and Tbilisi on July 31 surprised many in Georgia and in the West. While this diplomatic advance …

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• 1 September

  Prigozhin’s Death Shows Ultra-Patriots Are No Threat to the Kremlin

  

  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 …

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• 1 September

  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 …

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