Tag: Russia

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Coronavirus CSS Blog

Keeping the 2020 Momentum Around Nuclear Issues Alive

Image courtesy of Tech. Sgt. Brian Ferguson/DVIDS

This blog belongs to the CSS’ coronavirus blog series, which forms a part of the center’s analysis of the security policy implications of the coronavirus crisis. See the CSS special theme page on the coronavirus for more.

Various nuclear milestones in 2020 have provided important opportunities to raise awareness on the role of nuclear weapons in national security strategies, their impact on communities, the state of arms control treaties, and progress in nuclear disarmament. While the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference on its 50th anniversary was rescheduled due to the pandemic, the delay could enable member states to further engage in dialogue, seek compromises, and suggest new initiatives. Depending on when and how the conference will eventually take place, the coronavirus crisis might even bring much-needed change to conference proceedings.

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Coronavirus CSS Blog

Oil Price and Russia’s Economy

The coronavirus crisis has hit the Russian economy at one of the worst possible times. As this graphic illustrates, since 2014/15, it has been impacted by low oil prices and Western sanctions and has recorded only moderate growth rates over the past three years.

For more on how the coronavirus crisis is a strain on the Russian economy and constitutes a stress test for the popularity of the regime, read Jeronim Perović’s CSS Analysis in Security Policy here.

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CSS Blog

Eurasia’s Trade Partners

 

This graphic illustrates the total values of Eurasian countries’ trade with China, the EU, Russia and the rest of the world – including imports and exports – between October 2018 and September 2019.

For an insight into the impact of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on Eurasia, read Benno Zogg’s chapter in Strategic Trends 2020, which can be found here.

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Cyber CSS Blog

Bundestag Hack Redux: More Smoke Than Mirrors

This article was originally published by the Council on Foreign Relations on 8 June 2020.

In early May, it was reported that Germany’s federal prosecutor issued an arrest warrant for Dmitriy Badin, the Russian hacker behind the 2015 cyberattacks targeting the Bundestag. Despite this, it is unclear what steps the German government has taken to pursue Badin internationally and how Germany and the United States will manage their separate efforts to arrest him.

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Keeping His Options Open: Why Putin Decided to Stay On

Image courtesy of Kremlin.ru. (CC BY 4.0) 

This article was originally published by the Carnegie Moscow Center on 13 March 2020.

Putin, a man torn by conflicting impulses, has opted for stability in moving to stay on as president after 2024. In doing so, he surprised the elite and even some in the presidential administration, deceiving those around him—though not the public—with his talk of changes in leadership and overhauling Russia’s political system. His real intentions are impossible to know, but his priority is clear: keeping his options open.

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