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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How Dangerous Is Russia?

Nikolas K. Gvosdev July 30, 2016 Recommended Reads
Russia’s military may have only a fraction of the U.S. military's capabilities and equipment, but that is still far more than any other post-Soviet state. It is even enough to pose a challenge to European militaries.
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Why Putin Prefers Trump

Mikhail Zygar July 27, 2016 Recommended Reads
Putin supports leaders whose motivations he understands. With his cynicism and overt power-seeking, Trump fits the bill.
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Just How Dangerous Is Russia's Military?

Nikolas K. Gvosdev July 15, 2016 Recommended Reads
The Kremlin's lack of transparency leaves many wondering if Russia will continue down a path of military modernization in light of decreasing energy prices and the uncertainty of Western sanctions.
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False Alert: Is Russia Beefing Up Forces on NATO’s Border?

Ulrich Kühn July 08, 2016 Recommended Reads
While Russia has done an about-face on military reforms meant to switch from large divisions to smaller, more mobile brigades, Moscow is not (yet) creating additional armed forces.
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The Russian Military: A Force in Transition

Michael Kofman June 24, 2016 Recommended Reads
While the most recent Russian military reforms produced impressive results, they remain incomplete, resulting in a permanent change for the Russian military without an easily discernible destination.
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Revitalizing Our Vital Interests

Stephen Kinzer May 25, 2016 Recommended Reads
The United States has stretched itself too thin with a laundry list of national interests of widely varying importance. It must refocus on those interests which are most vital, including protecting global trade and preventing the spread of war.
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US-Russian Relations: The Middle Cannot Hold

Samuel Charap and Jeremy Shapiro May 03, 2016 Recommended Reads
The Obama administration's "middle-way" strategy towards Russian policy of concurrent antagonism and cooperation must be ended in favor of a more stable path.
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A Path Out of the Middle East Collapse

Henry Kissinger October 16, 2015 Recommended Reads
With Russia increasingly filling the power vacuum in the Middle East left by inconstant U.S. policy, the American government must work with all available parties to combat major threats to stability.
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U.S.-Russia Relations: What Would Henry Kissinger Do?

Graham Allison September 28, 2015 Recommended Reads
Considering the recent strain on U.S.-Russia relations, Graham Allison offers key insights and strategies by posing the question: What would Kissinger do?
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Seven Ways a New Cold War with Russia Will Be Different

Paul J. Saunders May 11, 2014 Recommended Reads
Would a confrontation between the U.S. and Russia be another Cold War or something else entirely? Saunders' seven key differences suggest that such an event may not work in the ways that many expect.
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Why Russian Natural Gas Will Dominate European Markets

Tim Boersma and Geert Greving February 24, 2014 Recommended Reads
Russia’s Gazprom announced that in 2013, its share of European natural supplies rose to a historical high of 30%, provoking the question: is this an incident or a trend?
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10 Reasons Why Russia Still Matters

Graham Allison and Robert D. Blackwill October 30, 2011 Recommended Reads
Russia matters a great deal to a U.S. government seeking to defend and advance its national interests.
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