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.
Clues from Russian Views

Politics and Circumstances

Dmitri Trenin May 20, 2022
It must be understood that the strategic defeat that the West, led by the United States, is preparing for Russia, will not lead to peace and the subsequent restoration of relations.
Clues from Russian Views

Could Russia Use the Nuclear Option?

Pyotr Topychkanov May 16, 2022
The threat of a nuclear strike on Ukraine is being hotly discussed in the media and social networks. But there are reasons to be both skeptical and wary of this threat.
Clues from Russian Views

Tested by Ukraine. Third Attempt

Konstantin Zatulin May 01, 2022
"After February 24 ... we have no other choice other than to win," says the Russian lawmaker.
Clues from Russian Views

This War Cannot End in a Victory

Alexei Yurchak April 25, 2022
When reforms start at the top—and they will start because this war [in Ukraine] cannot end in a "victory"—the regime will collapse. We know from our recent history that such changes happen quickly and unexpectedly.
survey

Survey: What Would a Le Pen Presidency Mean for France’s Policy Toward Russia?

RM Staff April 20, 2022 RM Exclusives
The nationalist firebrand who has recently "put water in her vodka" and considerably toned down her anti-EU rhetoric is well known for cultivating warm ties with Vladimir Putin's Russia.
Clues from Russian Views

'​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Big West Is Against Us and It Will Begin to Crumble Sooner or Later'

Interview with Sergey Karaganov April 12, 2022
“Ukraine was supposed to play the role of a spear, the tip of which is at the heart of ... Russia. This is a serious fight. They would like to weaken and destroy us, regretting that this was not done in the 1990s. ... We must unite, stand our ground and win," says the director of Russia's Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.
survey

Expert Survey: Impacts of Russia’s War in Ukraine

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs February 28, 2022 Partner Posts
Belfer Center experts comment on repercussions of the invasion.
survey

Russian Troops Near Ukraine’s Border: How Should the West Respond?

Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs December 15, 2021 Partner Posts
With Ukrainian forces on high alert as Russia continues to amass troops on the border, Belfer Center experts outline America’s national security interests in the region and identify steps they believe Western forces should take to thwart Putin’s aims.
book review

Plokhy’s New Cuban Missile Crisis Book Offers Glimpse Into the Minds of Rank-and-File Soviet Officers

Simon Saradzhyan June 25, 2021 RM Exclusives
Harvard Professor Serhii Plokhy’s new book, “Nuclear Folly: A History of the Cuban Missile Crisis,” offers new insights into the experiences of lower-level officers who participated in the perilous events that brought us to the brink of nuclear war nearly 60 years ago.
book review

Stoner’s Quantitative and Qualitative Assessment of Russia’s New Strength

Paul Saunders May 05, 2021 RM Exclusives
Kathryn E. Stoner's effort to measure Russia’s power comprises the bulk of her new book and provides a generally helpful overview of the country’s capabilities despite some limitations.
survey

With New START Extended, What Is Future of US-Russian Arms Control?

RM Staff February 05, 2021 RM Exclusives
Experts Laura Kennedy, Michael Krepon, Emmanuelle Maître, Olga Oliker, Steven Pifer and William H. Tobey weigh in with answers.
article

Opportunities in Ukraine Too Limited to Provide White Supremacists With Military Training

Huseyn Aliyev November 12, 2020 RM Exclusives
Ukraine is likely to serve as a hypothetical “dreamland” for foreign white supremacists. However, the likelihood of international far-right visitors acquiring actual military training or battlefield experience is minimal.