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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

New Atlanticist

May 8, 2009

Medvedev Praises Soviet Role in WWII

By James Joyner

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is working to make belittling the Soviet Union’s contribution to the Allied victory in World War II a crime.  He also called the Soviet Union “our country,” a reference sure to raise eyebrows in the West.

Russia

New Atlanticist

May 6, 2009

Russia’s Privileged Sphere of Influence

By David Smith

Late last week, about 1,800 additional Russian troops poured into the already heavily occupied Georgian territories of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and the Akhalgori District.

Russia The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

May 1, 2009

NATO Expels Russian Diplomats on Espionage Charges

By Valerie Nichols

 The expulsion of two Russian diplomats from the nation’s mission to NATO will surely put a damper in recent attempts to thaw relations.  Yesterday’s confirmation of the action comes only one day after the first resumption of formal talks between NATO and Russian representatives since last summer’s war with Georgia.  The talks were meant to […]

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Apr 29, 2009

NATO and Russia Resume Formal Relations

By James Joyner

NATO and Russia today resumed formal relations, which were broken off in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Georgia.

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Apr 21, 2009

Russian Tanks Near Tblisi

By James Joyner

Russian troops are a mere “25 miles (40 kilometers) from the Georgian capital, in violation of the European Union-brokered cease-fire that ended last year’s brief war,” Lynn Berry reports for AP.  All indications are that Moscow is increasing pressure on President Mikheil Saakashvili amidst a protest movement.

Russia

New Atlanticist

Apr 20, 2009

Russia Ends Chechnya Campaign

By Valerie Nichols

Russia has finally declared an end to its decade-long anti-terrorism campaign in Chechnya, leaving more power in the hands of the republic’s President Ramzan Kadyrov.  Yet the decision, while perhaps symbolic, does not mean Chechnya’s troubles are over.

Russia

New Atlanticist

Apr 17, 2009

Medvedev Pluralism Push: Perestroika II or Good Cop, Bad Cop?

By James Joyner

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has launched a rhetorical campaign pushing for more openness in his country’s politics.  Some analysts see this as an attempt to establish a distinct alternative with Vladimir Putin while others are more skeptical.

Russia

New Atlanticist

Apr 16, 2009

Russia: Cancel NATO Exercise with Georgia

By James Joyner

Russian is urging NATO to cancel military exercises with Georgia planned for next month. A current round of demonstrations against Mikheil Saakashvili has only further increased tensions in the region, he noted.

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Apr 9, 2009

Georgian Protests: A Threat to US-Russia Relations?

By Valerie Nichols

Tbilisi has been overrun by tens of thousands of protestors. An estimated 60,000 people have turned up outside of Georgia’s parliament to rally against President Mikhail Saakashvili, blaming him for the 2008 disastrous conflict with Russia and continuing economic recession, as well as accusing him of stifling democracy.

Russia The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

Apr 6, 2009

Hedging Our Relations with Russia

By Bernard Finel

The recent spate of activity in U.S.-Russian relations is fundamentally about the whether the United States ought to be hedging against future Russian hostility. 

Russia United States and Canada

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