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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

In the News

Sep 22, 2016

Ullman in Daily Times: Let’s Not Start a New Cold War with Russia

By Harlan Ullman

Read the full article here.

Russia
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama, June 18, 2012

NATOSource

Sep 21, 2016

The United States Must Be the World’s Policeman

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Wall Street Journal

Barely had I been seated before Vladimir Putin told me that NATO—the organization that I then headed—no longer had any purpose and should be disbanded.

NATO Northern Europe
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin, May 10, 2015

NATOSource

Sep 21, 2016

Russian Hackers Linked to Another Cyber Campaign Targeting Political Parties in Germany

By AFP and Deutsche Welle

From AFP:  German political parties have fallen victim to a new round of cyber attacks, documents showed Wednesday, after Berlin’s domestic spy agency accused Russia of a series of operations aimed at spying and sabotage.

Cybersecurity Germany

In the News

Sep 21, 2016

Cohen Joins Russian Channel 1 to Discuss US-Russia Clashes in Syria

By Ariel Cohen

Watch the full interview here.

Russia

In the News

Sep 21, 2016

Hof Quoted by Christian Science Monitor on the US-Russia Ceasefire for Syria

By Frederic C. Hof

Read the full article here.

Russia Syria

UkraineAlert

Sep 21, 2016

Does Putin Have 35 Million Secret Weapons?

By Lukas Trakimavičius

“Russia is back.” These were the recent words of General Curtis Scaparrotti, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe—and he was correct. Thanks to a rapidly growing arms budget and a worrisome frequency of snap military drills near NATO’s borders, Russia is indeed back to the game of power politics after a twenty-five year hiatus. The implications […]

Russia Ukraine
Russian nuclear attack submarine Severodvinsk

NATOSource

Sep 20, 2016

The Growing Russian Threat in the North Atlantic

By Sydney J. Freedberg Jr., Defense One

Russia could hinder US reinforcements headed to Europe in the event of a major war, warned the recently retired Supreme Allied Commander, Gen. Philip Breedlove….

NATO Russia
Swedish Marine participating in BALTOPS exercise, June 13, 2016

NATOSource

Sep 20, 2016

Swedish Military Told to Look Out for Foreign Spies

By The Local (Sweden)

Sweden’s military has urged staff to stay alert as more and more incidents that could be linked to suspected espionage are emerging across the country, report Swedish media.

Intelligence NATO

New Atlanticist

Sep 20, 2016

Syria Ceasefire: Beyond Hope?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The United States and Russia have little chance of resurrecting the fragile Syria ceasefire, said Frederic C. Hof, director of the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East. “The odds do not favor the ceasefire being salvaged, sad to say,” said Hof, who served in the Obama administration as a special adviser for […]

Russia Syria

UkraineAlert

Sep 19, 2016

Putin’s Illusions about Crimea

By Olesya Yakhno

In the recent plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum [on September 3 in Vladivostok], Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the issue of Crimea’s ownership is historically closed. Despite the adamant tone, such statements do not show Russia’s confidence but instead reveal the Kremlin’s vulnerability on this issue. The concept Krym nash (Crimea is […]

Russia Ukraine

Experts

Events