Analysis

This listing contains all the analytical materials posted on the Russia Matters website. These include: RM Exclusives, commissioned by Russia Matters exclusively for this website; Recommended Reads, deemed particularly noteworthy by our editorial team; Partner Posts, originally published by our partners elsewhere; and Future Policy Leaders, pieces by promising young scholars and policy thinkers. Content can be filtered by genre and subject-specific criteria and is updated often. Gradually we will be adding older Recommended Reads and Partner Posts dating back as far as 2011.
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Survey: U.S. Vital Interests Vis-à-Vis Russia

RM Experts February 15, 2017 RM Exclusives
What are America’s vital national interests and where does Russia fit in, either as a constructive partner or as a spoiler? What does this mean for U.S. policy? Five eminent experts weigh in.
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The Coming of the Russian Jihad: Part II

Leon Aron December 19, 2016
Lack of security in the North Caucasus region, the return home of Russian Islamic State fighters and increasing numbers of Russians joining ISIL all indicate that the Russian jihad continues to remain alive and dangerous.
issue brief

Islamic State and the Bolsheviks: Plenty in Common and Lessons to Heed

Simon Saradzhyan and Monica Duffy Toft December 16, 2016 RM Exclusives
Some scholars say if IS is recognized or contained its “state” will “normalize” like the Bolsheviks’. But IS will not abandon its expansionist agenda or stop mass killings unless it is defeated outright.
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The Coming Of The Russian Jihad: Part I

Leon Aron September 23, 2016
The spread of Russian as the lingua franca among some jihadists is indicative of explosive internationalization and vastly expanded recruitment patterns among what might be called the Russian Jihad.
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Why Putin Tolerates Corruption

Ivan Krastev May 15, 2016 Recommended Reads
Unlike for Xi Jinping, there is little incentive for Putin to begin an effective anti-corruption campaign, and compelling reasons not to.
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How Western aid enables graft addiction in Ukraine

M. Steven Fish and Neil A. Abrams May 05, 2016 Recommended Reads
Can Western aid actually support the cause of reform in Ukraine? Or is Western assistance enabling an entrenched elite to continue stealing and avoid building a functioning state?
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The U.S.-Russia Joint Threat Assessment of Nuclear Terrorism

Matthew Bunn, Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, Simon Saradzhyan, William H. Tobey, Yuri Morozov, Viktor I. Yesin, Pavel S. Zolotarev June 06, 2011 Recommended Reads
As it is entirely feasible for terror groups to produce a weapon of mass destruction given enough nuclear material, countries must take stronger steps towards prevention and security.
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