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The Power Vertical

The Power Vertical is a blog and podcast for Russia wonks and Kremlin watchers by Brian Whitmore. It covers emerging and developing trends in Russian politics, shining a spotlight on the high-stakes power struggles, machinations, and clashing interests that shape Kremlin policy today.

Host and Eurasia Center Senior Fellow Brian Whitmore invites guest experts to deliver their insights and analysis in this weekly podcast. The Atlantic Council and the Charles T. McDowell Center for Global Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington co-sponsor this production.

The Russia Tomorrow series

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The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting stability, democratic values and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe and Turkey in the West to the Caucasus, Russia and Central Asia in the East.

Content

Fast Thinking

Jan 13, 2022

FAST THINKING: A big week of diplomacy with Russia is over. What’s Putin’s next move?

By Atlantic Council

Is war in Europe more likely after this week's diplomatic flurry? Our experts weigh in on what to expect next.

Crisis Management NATO

UkraineAlert

Jan 13, 2022

Russia Crisis: War fears mount as West rejects Putin’s ultimatum

By Peter Dickinson

A week of high-stakes meetings between Kremlin officials and their US, NATO and OSCE counterparts has failed to defuse tensions in Eastern Europe or reduce the threat of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Conflict NATO

In the News

Jan 13, 2022

Ashford in Inkstick: The “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” intervention in Kazakhstan

By Atlantic Council

On January 13, Ashford published an opinion piece on the Russian intervention in Kazakhstan. “The blink-and-you-might-miss-it intervention nonetheless provided some important reminders about security in Central Asia. Russia, for example, still has substantive interests and influence across Central Asia. Meanwhile, it appears that China is largely willing to stay hands-off on security matters in the […]

Central Asia English

New Atlanticist

Jan 13, 2022

This year, Russia’s internet crackdown will be even worse

By Justin Sherman

As the world watches Putin's moves in and around Ukraine, the Kremlin's internet crackdown is no less worthy of attention.

Cybersecurity Internet

In the News

Jan 13, 2022

Manning in The Hill: What Kazakhstan says about the autocracy question

By Atlantic Council

On January 13, Robert Manning published his weekly column in The Hill on the events in Kazakhstan and how they demonstrate the inherent weakness in autocracies. Manning made the point that there is widespread discontent among populations ruled by autocrats, but that the challenges facing the US internally undermine protestors in autocracies from turning to […]

Central Asia China

Blog Post

Jan 13, 2022

State of the Order: Assessing December 2021

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.

Conflict Coronavirus

In the News

Jan 13, 2022

Ashford in The New York Times: “It will certainly produce more militarization of the alliance’s eastern flank.”

By Atlantic Council

On January 13, Emma Ashford was quote in the New York Times on the Russia-Ukraine standoff. “It will certainly produce more militarization of the alliance’s eastern flank,” Emma Ashford, a researcher at the Atlantic Council research group wrote of NATO’s likely response to Russia’s threats against Ukraine. “Just because we think it’s a stupid, self-defeating […]

English Europe & Eurasia

In the News

Jan 13, 2022

Wieslander in Carnegie Europe’s “Judy Asks: Can diplomacy rescue European security?”

“There is something utterly disturbing about a situation where the perpetrator demands security guarantees and those under threat are willing to discuss them: an Alice-In-Wonderland-Upside-Down kind of feeling,” wrote Anna Wieslander, Director for Northern Europe.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

UkraineAlert

Jan 12, 2022

Cutting off Russia from SWIFT will really sting

By Harley Balzer

While Russia has attempted to reduce its dependence on the SWIFT payment system, it remains vulnerable to a sanctions cut-off in the event of a new Kremlin offensive in Putin's eight-year undeclared war against Ukraine.

China Conflict

BelarusAlert

Jan 12, 2022

Soviet reunion in the air as USSR centenary approaches

By Brian Whitmore

2022 will see the one hundredth anniversary of the USSR. The centenary comes at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin is increasingly reasserting Moscow's influence across the former Soviet empire.

Belarus Central Asia

Experts