Chain Reaction

Russia’s war against Ukraine has revealed stories about the heroic resistance efforts of Ukrainian women: from a grandmother launching a pickle jar against a drone to volunteers with territorial defense units. However, comparable stories have been entirely lacking on Russia’s side: How come?

On this episode of Report in Short, Aaron Schwartzbaum is joined by Egle E. Murauskaite, author FPRI's new report "Russian Women in the Face of War Against Ukraine," to discuss the multifaceted role of Russian women in the conflict. 


Read the report here

In this episode of Baltic Ways Dr. Janet Laidla shares her work on charting the roles and contributions of women at the University of Tartu from the early days of the Estonian Republic, and what it means today. 

Explore from FPRI's Baltic Intiative here. 

If we know how Russia's presidential election is going to turn out... why even bother holding the election? Join András Tóth-Czifra and Olga Khvostunova for an exploration of electoral autocracy and the political moment.

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Amid the commentary on the war in Ukraine, the voices of those who live it every day are sometimes lost.  In this episode of Chain Reaction, we hear from Sophia Opatska of Lviv, Hanna Shelest of Odessa, and Maksym Skrypchenko of Kyiv.

Despite Western economic policy, Russia has been able to continue its war against Ukraine, and even seen economic growth. Join as we kick off our season with Nick Trickett and Iikka Korhonen investigating what's driving Russia's economy these days, and whether sanctions are "working."

As the second anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches, the optimism that reigned a year ago has largely faded. The failure of Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive and the uncertainty of future US assistance seem to augur tough times ahead for Ukraine and its supporters. Joining host Bob Hamilton to discuss the current state of the war, its likely future trajectory, and the future of the US role in NATO is Stephen Biddle, one of the foremost analysts of modern warfare.

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijani forces initiated a massive attack on Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-populated and effectively self-governing region inside internationally recognized Azerbaijani territory. Within 24 hours, the Nagorno-Karabakh leadership gave in, and, for the first time, Baku could claim full control over the contested territory. Despite being portrayed in the West as a “frozen conflict,” there had long been a risk of renewed violence in Nagorno-Karabakh. In this episode of Report in Short, Walter Landgraf and Nareg Seferian join Aaron Schwartzbaum to discuss their recent report "A 'Frozen Conflict' Boils Over: Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023 and Future Implications.

Read the report

From the "Great Game" of the 19th century to the NATO war in Afghanistan, Central Asia has periodically been at the center of geopolitics. But more often, it has faded into the geopolitical shadows, as other regions and other issues take precedence. The two years since Russia's invasion of Ukraine have seen the region again become a focal point of great power interaction, with Russia's influence falling as that of China, Turkey, and other powers rises. But Central Asia is more than just a playground for great powers - the countries of the region are increasingly asserting their own geopolitical identities and interests. Join host Bob Hamilton and experienced Central Asia hand Bruce Pannier as they discuss the region's re-emergence and its implications.

Since 2009, Russia has invested significant effort into developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, for military purposes. However, after a year of war in Ukraine, the Russian military has lost the biggest part of its tactical reconnaissance and targeting UAVs. Pavel Luzin joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to discuss his latest report "Russian Military Drones: The Past, Present, and Future of the UAV Industry."

Download the report here.

Almost two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Bear Market Brief investigates how we got here in the first place. What does theory say about Vladimir Putin’s decision making? Seva Gunitsky joins to discuss.


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It’s been just over five months since the Wagner Group’s insurrection against the Russian government, and three months since the group’s leader was killed in a place crash, almost certainly orchestrated by the Kremlin. But the Wagner Group has not faded away. Colin Clarke, *Christopher Faulkner, and Raphael Parens join to discuss what the Wagner Group is up to now, who is leading it, and how the Kremlin will use it going forward.

*The views expressed here are the guest's own and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the US Naval War College, the Navy, or the DOD.

The Continent takes a (slight) detour to learn how trends over in Eurasia compare with what we're seeing in Europe. The complicated neighbor is the same; what about the domestic and geopolitical landscape? Temur Umarov offers insights on the effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Kazakhstan's domestic and foreign policy.

Where does Russian public sentiment on politics and war stand these days? And on a more basic level, how is it measured? Bear Market Brief talked with Isabelle DeSisto of Russia Watcher to learn more!

Join the Bear Market Brief on Substack!

Learn more about Russia Watcher here

On this week's special episode of the Bear Market Brief, Aaron Schwartzbaum sits down with FPRI Fellow Maximilian Hess to talk about his new book"Economic War: Ukraine and the Global Conflict Between Russia and the West" (Hurst, 2023).

This episode was recorded live on September 28, 2023.

For more on the international economic order and the conflicts shaping it, check out Max's newsletter, Conflict & Credit.

In a career spanning from the height of the Cold War to the fight against Al Qaida, Michael Vickers worked at every level of the US national security community. From his time as an Army Green Beret trained to parachute behind Soviet lines in Europe with a “backpack” nuclear weapon, to his final assignment as the senior official responsible for all Department of Defense intelligence activities, few people have accumulated as much experience. Join host Bob Hamilton as he talks with Dr. Vickers about his career and the lessons he draws for today’s national security practitioners.

By All Means: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy by Michael G. Vickers

Politically and socially, how are Ukrainians contending with a difficult, long war? Fabrice Deprez joins from Kyiv to give us an update on this week's Bear Market Brief.

Check out Fabrice's newsletter, Eastern Radar
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How much do Moldovan politics rhyme with some of what we've seen in Ukraine? FPRI Senior Fellow Ecaterina Locoman sheds light on language politics, Ukraine war spillover, and frozen conflict.

How do we remember tragedies? How do populations construct memories and memory institutions around these events? How can contemporary researchers begin to make sense of these complex landscapes? On this episode of Baltic Ways, Dr. Margaret Comer of University College London joins us to discuss heritage studies, dark heritage, and her fieldwork in Russia and Estonia.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 put the Black Sea region on the map in Washington, DC and Brussels after decades of relative neglect. Among regional countries Romania was an early, vocal and persistent proponent of greater US and NATO focus on the region and has emerged as a leader in the drive for greater regional integration and cooperation. To discuss Bucharest’s role in the region and its vision for regional security, Dr. Antonia Colibasanu joins host Bob Hamilton on Chain Reaction.

Two years ago this month, Taliban forces rolled into Kabul, completing their takeover of Afghanistan. After 20 years of U.S.-led effort and investment in the Afghan government and security forces, they collapsed almost instantly in the face of an enemy with less training and rudimentary equipment. To understand the sources of this strategic failure, Dr. Carter Malkasian, one of the foremost experts on the war in Afghanistan, joins host Bob Hamilton on this episode of Chain Reaction.

Clausewitz wrote that the first task of a commander is to establish “the kind of war on which they are embarking; neither mistaking it for, nor trying to turn it into, something that is alien to its nature.” After two decades of counterinsurgency operations, the US Army now finds itself observing – and supporting – Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s aggression. The war has turned into a grinding, attritional, industrial age struggle, the kind the US military had assumed was a thing of the past. In this episode of Chain Reaction, John Nagl joins to discuss whether the US Army is positioned to fight this kind of war, whether it wants to or not.

Related Reading:

A Call to Action: Lessons from Ukraine for the Future Force - Katie Crombe and John A. Nagl

Robert Hamilton and Rick Landgraf join Aaron to tackle (almost) every question you were too embarrassed to ask about the defense and security issues central to Ukraine. Term by term, concept by concept, jargon by jargon. No acronym is safe!

How have Latvian and Lithuanian histories intertwined over the last millennium? Who was Queen Morta, a Latvian princess by birth who became the wife of Lithuania’s first and only king, Mindaugas? How close did we come to a Latvian-Lithuanian state in the early 20th century? How do Latvians and Lithuanians see their shared commonalities today? James Montgomery Baxenfield, Junior Research Fellow at Tallinn University School of Humanities, walks (literally) through this complex history.
Baltic Ways is brought to you by the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, produced in partnership with the Baltic Initiative at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

Have you heard calls for Ukraine and Russia to "just negotiate"? What does theory say about how (and why) wars come to an end? Christine Cheng joins to discuss.

The Black Sea region looms increasingly large as the locus of of great power, military, political, and economic competition. FPRI’s Eurasia Program partnered with Ilia State University in Tbilisi, Georgia, to hold a two day conference on Black Sea geopolitics, security, strategic connectivity, and resilience.

In this episode, Head of Eurasia Research, Robert Hamilton, is joined by Director of the Eurasia Program, Maia Otarashvili, and Eurasia Fellows Aaron Schwartzbaum, Max Hess, Nikolas Gvosdev, Batu Kutelia, and Dato Sikharulidze to discuss key takeaways from the conference.

On this special double feature, The Continent visits the Balkans. How do we make sense of continued nationalism, the conflict it spurs, and Russia's regional influence? Mladen Mrdalj and Jasmin Munjanovic join to discuss.

Related Reading: Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans

If you're a Russian against the war in Ukraine, what options do you have? And how has resistance evolved as the war has continued? Colleen Woods joins the Bear Market Brief.

Related Reading:Is Russia’s anti-war movement changing people’s minds?by Colleen Woods

How has Russia's (latest) invasion of Ukraine exacerbated issues in domestic governance and political economy?

András Tóth-Czifra joins Aaron Schwartzbaum to discuss his latest report "The War as an Accelerator: How Russia's War Against Ukraine Showcased and Exacerbated Domestic Governance Challenges."

How did Estonian democracy erode in the 1930s? How did liberal dissidents express their discontent under a more oppressive regime? Why is political rhetoric important, both now and then? Dr. Liisi Veski, fellow at the Skytte Institute, University of Tartu, dives into this complex, informative world of letters.

Baltic Ways is brought to you by the Association for the Advancement of Baltic Studies, produced in partnership with the Baltic Initiative at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

US assistance has been a key factor in Ukraine's ability to not only survive Russia's invasion but turn the tide in some places. But could the US have done more, and done it sooner? Some in Ukraine and in the West have critiqued the US effort as incremental and risk-averse. Is this a fair critique, and if so, is this type of policy a feature or a bug of the US policy process? FPRI's Nikolas Gvosdev and Philip Wasielewski join host Robert Hamilton to discuss.

Germany announced bold remilitarization plans after Russia's latest invasion of Ukraine. A year later, where do we stand? Minna Alander returns to The Continent to discuss progress made, and the challenges ahead.

Patriotic education in Russia: how does it work? Is this any different from in the West? And among Russia's young people, are we seeing generational differences as far as political attitudes go? Allyson Edwards joins Aaron Schwartzbaum on the Bear Market Brief. Dark Sarcasm in the Classroom

Introducing Report in Short, a bite-sized series where we explore the latest in FPRI's research in 15 minutes or less.

This week: What is Wagner Group, how does the Kremlin use it, and how has its role and regional footprint changed? Raphael Parens and Chrisopher Faulkner join Aaron Schwartzbaum to discuss their latest report.

Read the full report here.

As we return to The Continent, what is the latest on Turkey's upcoming election? Who is running, what is driving Turks to vote, and what does the result mean for Ukraine and beyond? FPRI's Director of Research Jim Ryan and Black Sea Fellow Selim Koru join to discuss.

We take a jaunt south to explore the people and politics behind Israel's Ukraine policy. What do Israel's leaders want from this war, and how do more locational considerations fit in? What does the local population with roots in the former Soviet Union make of all this?

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How do you make sense of Russia's seemingly contradictory narrative about its invasion of Ukraine? And how is support, or at least assent, for the war generated? Jade McGlynn joins to discuss.

Learn more about Jade's new book Russia's War

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How important is the war in Ukraine for the United States? What should Washington do about it? Stephen Wertheim drops by to share some options for your consideration.

Learn more about Stephen's book Tomorrow, the World

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What motivates people who, when Russian invaded, decided to run towards the fire and assist Ukrainians? British Expeditionary Aid and Rescue, an aid organization, joins to share its experience.

BEAR's Website: https://www.britishexpeditionaryaidrescue.org/
Donation Link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/british-expeditionary-aid-rescue-ukraine

On the anniversary of Russia's invasion, Maria Romanenko shares her experience fleeing Ukraine and reflects on what the war means, both personally and broadly.

Link: Fundraiser for building a museum in the village of Yahidne to showcase Russia’s war crimes there.

What do the statistics and other indicators coming out of Russia these days actually mean, and which ones should we actually be paying attention to? Chris Miller and Andras Toth-Czifra stop by to discuss.

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Faced with a possible defeat in Ukraine, will Russia survive until 2084? FPRI Senior Fellow Philip Wasielewski and Maia Otarashvili, the Deputy Director of FPRI's Eurasia program discuss the future of Russia, from internal ethnic and leadership struggles to its sphere of influence in Central Asia and the Caucasus as Chinese and Turkish power rises in the region.

Read Philip Wasielewski's report "Will Russia Survive Until 2084?"

This episode was recorded live on Zoom on January 31, 2023.

How is Russia's economy doing as we start 2023? And how is mobilization going - if it is even possible? Nick Trickett joins to discuss.

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What has the war actually been like on the ground? How have communities, and the Ukrainian government reacted? Kirill, a Kyiv resident and open source conflict researcher, joins to share his experience.

Support Vostok SOS: https://vostok-sos.org/en/i-wanna-help/rekvizyty-dlia-hroshovoho-perekazu/

As we drop by Paris, what is president Macron's angle, diplomatically or otherwise, in the Ukraine War? And how do populists on both the right and left play in?

This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on November 23, 2022.

What do Russians actually think about the war in Ukraine? How are sanctions being felt locally? And what can we learn - or not - from polls conducted in Russia's current political climate.

What spurred Italy's right wing populist wave? And what does it mean for EU policy? Federico Santi joins Aaron to discuss.

This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on October 20, 2022.

How did Hungary stray from the liberal democratic path? What does that mean in practice? And what explains its contrarian position on Russia within the EU? Andras Toth-Czifra and Marta Pardavi join Aaron to discuss all things Hungary.

This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on October 3, 2022.

Related reading: https://orban.media/

In this Bear Market Brief crossover episode, FPRI Templeton Fellow Phil Wasielewski joins host Aaron Schwartzbaum to provide an update on the war and take a step back. What is the broader strategic picture and what does it mean for Putin and Russia?

We've looked how the war in Ukraine has impacted politics in several countries, but what about the EU as a whole? Charles Lichfield joins to discuss.

This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on September 14, 2022.

What exactly motivates Turkey's mercurial leader? On this episode, Sibel Oktay joins to discuss what's on Erdogan's mind these days and his angle on Ukraine, NATO, and more.

Join us as we cover all three Baltic States in (about) one hour. Guests Dr. Indra Ekmanis and Martynas Smitas share their views and some nuances on the current political and security juncture, as well as where the local Russian minority fits into all this.

The conversation with Indra Ekmanis was recorded on June 28 and July 3, 2022, and the conversation with Martynas Smitas was recorded on July 1, 2022.

Finland has a long border and similarly long history with Russia. How does the war in Ukraine change its defense and security picture? This week Aaron Schwartzbaum and Minna Alander discuss Finland's security calculus.

This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on June 21, 2022.

Why and how did Sweden abandon centuries of neutrality, and where does it fit in the European security picture? This week Aaron Schwartzbaum speaks with Oscar Jonsson about Sweden's NATO ambitions and the country's current political crisis.

After abandoning a policy of neutrality, Sweden was expected to rapidly join NATO in time for the June 28 summit in Madrid. Instead, Turkey, a NATO member since 1952, has blocked Sweden's accession, demanding a series of concessions ranging from support for Turkish counter terror operations to extraditing Swedish citizens of Kurdish origin. To discuss this issue, Aaron is joined by Dr. Paul Levin, the Director of Stockholm University Institute for Turkish Studies.

How has the war in Ukraine changed Poland's politics, security, and even society? And what about Warsaw's relationship with Brussels?

This week Aaron Schwartzbaum speaks with Anna Wojcik and Wojciech Przybylski about Poland's past, present, and future in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on May 25, 2022.

The Russian invasion in Ukraine has bogged down, forcing President Vladimir Putin to wrestle with a series of questions about how to continue the invasion. The United States and its European Allies have pledged open-ended military support for Ukraine, allowing President Zelensky to replace equipment, and retain critical capabilities to defend the country. To discuss the latest developments in the war, Rob Lee, FPRI Senior Fellow, and Michael Kofman, Research Program Director in the Russia Studies Program at CNA, join moderator Aaron Stein.

This discussion was recorded live on Zoom on May 12, 2022.

The Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) is pleased to introduce a special Chain Reaction podcast series: The Continent.

The Continent explores how the war in Ukraine is changing Europe's politics and security. Host Aaron Schwartzbaum will "visit" a country on each episode, learning about key dynamics and trends from local experts.

In the first episode Aaron speaks with Marcel Dirsus and Jana Puglierin about Germany's response to the war in Ukraine. Just how important is this political moment for Germany? What does it mean for Germany to boost its military potential — and how might it use it?

This conversation was recorded live on Twitter Spaces on May 11, 2022.

Russia is facing a manpower shortage and has a series of hard political choices to make, as it seeks to continue its invasion of Ukraine. To discuss this issue, Aaron speaks this week with Michael Kofman, Research Program Director in the Russia Studies Program at CNA about the war, Russian options to escalate, and Putin's May 9th speech.

Since Trump’s infamous call for a border wall and vague, fear-mongering threats of a “caravan of migrants'', security along the US-Mexico border has become a topic of increasing interest for the average American. How much of a security concern does migration from South and Central America pose, if any, to the US? And how can the US address the root causes forcing this mass migration in a sustainable and non-destructive way?

Guest host Clint Watts will talk to Delphine Schrank, freelance journalist and former Reuters Latin American Chief Correspondent based in Mexico City. Delphine has traveled through Central America and Mexico with several migrant caravans. She and Clint will discuss the migrant experience traveling with a caravan and the root causes spurring these migrations.

The FY2023 Department of Defense budget has dropped and it is packed full of insights. To talk about the budget and what it means for the future of the Air Force and Navy, Aaron speaks with Valerie Insinna, the Air Force and Pentagon reporter for Breaking Defense.

Before many African migrants even see Europe, they are captured and imprisoned in migrant detention camps in Libya. These detention centers, while run by Libyan militias, were funded and enabled to be run by the European Union.

In this episode, Clint speaks with Ian Urbina, director of the Outlaw Ocean Project, a nonprofit journalism initiative exploring lawlessness on the high seas, who recently published a piece in the New Yorker “The Secretive Prisons That Keep Migrants Out of Europe”. He uncovered human rights abuses taking place in migrant detention camps in Libya and the international systems enabling the continued operation of these prisons.

The air war over Ukraine is now a month old. In this episode of Chain Reaction, Dr. Aaron Stein speaks with Dr. Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council with new American engagement initiative, about the air war and the role defenses have played in frustrating Moscow's campaign.

The Syrian Civil War led to likely the most prominent migration crisis in modern history. In 2015, the European Union was forced to reckon with a surge of millions of migrants fleeing devastation and danger in Syria.

Foreign Policy Research Institute Distinguished Fellow Clint Watts talks with Jessica Bither, senior expert on migration at the Bosch Foundation. Jessica’s expertise lies in the intersection of technology and migration and she has extensively studied European migration patterns. They will discuss the security implications of the 2015 migration crisis and how this affected current attitudes and policy towards migrants in the European Union.

In this episode of Chain Reaction, Aaron speaks with Mike "Pako" Benitez, a retiring active-duty officer with over 25 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force, about the history of no fly zones, the challenges in setting one up, and the risk of inadvertent escalation. Mike wrote a recent article with Mike “Starbaby” Pietrucha about the topic and is the editor of the Merge newsletter.

Related reading:
The Dangerous Allure of the No Fly Zone - Mike Benitez & Mike Pietrucha - War on the Rocks

After seven days of conflict, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has made clear gains, but has also suffered from obvious deficiencies. In this episode of Chain Reaction, Aaron speaks again with Rob Lee, FPRI Senior Fellow, about the trajectory of the war, Russian challenges, and the future of the conflict.

This conversation was recorded on March 3, 2022.

International measures to slow climate change have been too little and too late, and the consequences of global inaction increasingly affect daily life here in the US. Americans are already being forced to move due to climate related disaster.

In this episode, Clint talks to Jesse Keenan, Associate Professor of Real Estate at Tulane University in New Orleans. They discuss how climate change is specifically affecting the US and what Americans should - and should not - be worried about in the near future as the planet warms.

In today's Chain Reaction, Aaron speaks with Rob Lee, a FPRI Senior Fellow, and Michael Kofman, the Russia Studies Director at CNA, about the situation on the Ukrainian-Russian border and the risk of "spillage" beyond the border.

Related reading:

"Putin's Wager in Russia's Standoff with the West" - War on the Rocks
"Moscow's Compellence Strategy" - Foreign Policy Research Institute

Excessive heat. Heavier rains. Natural disasters are growing in number and severity. Devastation from climate change is already a reality across much of the world and is prompting those in the regions most vulnerable to warming temperatures to ask themselves the question: do I stay or do I go?

In this episode, Clint talks with Dr. Jola Ajibade, Assistant Professor of Geography at Portland State University about how different global communities are migrating or adapting to climate change.

The Russian military build-up on the border with Ukraine is complete, raising the risk of an imminent invasion. To discuss the latest, Aaron speaks with Rob Lee, a FPRI senior fellow, about Moscow's force posture and potential military scenarios.

On this episode of Chain Reaction, Aaron spoke with Anna Nadibaidze about her new report "Russian Perceptions of Military AI, Automation, and Autonomy." The conversation touched on Russian views of Artificial Intelligence, autonomy, and the ethical use of these types of weapons.

The report is available for download on www.fpri.org

​​What does a warming planet mean for our national security? In this special segment, Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Distinguished Research Fellow Clint Watts talks to three experts on the impacts of climate change to US national security in a special Chain Reaction podcast series.

In late January, President Biden signed an executive order placing the climate crisis at the center of U.S. foreign policy and national security. Climate change is an unavoidable problem for everyone, but not every country will suffer the same ecological, social, political and military effects as our planet warms. Which places around the world will suffer the most traumatic consequences from extreme weather, rising seas and hotter temperatures?

FPRI Distinguished Research Fellow Clint Watts talks with John Conger, senior advisor to the Council on Strategic Risk and Senior U.S. Advisor to the International Military Council on Climate and Security to help answer these questions and provide an overview of the global threat of climate change and its implications on national security.

On this episode of Chain Reaction, Aaron speaks with Michael Kofman, who serves as Research Program Director in the Russia Studies Program at the Center for Naval Analyses, about the latest developments in Ukraine. The discussion centered on Russia's potential use of force and why the Kremlin may conclude that the actual costs of an invasion are lower than is commonly assumed.

On this episode, Aaron speaks with Dr. Laura Grego, Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at the Laboratory for Nuclear Security and Policy at MIT, about Russia's November 15 test of a ground-based anti-satellite weapon, the challenges of space debris, and potential options to limit such tests in the future.

On this week's show, Aaron speak with Becca Wasser, a fellow in the defense program and co-lead of the Gaming Lab at the Center for a New American Security, about her recent article for War on the Rocks about the next National Defense Strategy, integrated deterrence, and the issues Washington should be considering as it plans for strategic competition with peer competitors.

On this episode, Aaron speaks with Susannah Patton, a Research Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the United States Studies Centre, about the recent submarine agreement. For listeners, check out Susannah's latest report, Correcting the Course: How the Biden Administration can Compete for Influence in the Indo-Pacific.

This week we’d like to introduce a special episode recorded in collaboration with FPRI’s BMB Russia, a news brief that brings together the latest on Russia’s economy, politics, business, and political risk environment. 

In this special series hosted by FPRI Fellow and BMB Russia founder, Aaron Schwartzbaum, we’ll explore politics, economics, and their intersection in Russia, Ukraine, and the post-Soviet space and beyond. 

This week, Jan Matti Dollbaum, Morvan Lallouet, Ben Noble, authors of the book "Navalny: Putin's Nemesis, Russia's Future?" and Eilish Hart, editor of BMB Ukraine, join to discuss all things Alexei Navalny.

This week we’d like to introduce a special episode recorded in collaboration with FPRI’s BMB Russia, a news brief that brings together the latest on Russia’s economy, politics, business, and political risk environment. 

In this special series hosted by FPRI Fellow and BMB Russia founder, Aaron Schwartzbaum, we’ll explore politics, economics, and their intersection in Russia, Ukraine, and the post-Soviet space and beyond. 

This week, Felix Light stops by to discuss Russia's upcoming Duma elections, what they mean, who's involved, and what to expect.

To discuss recent events in Ukraine, Aaron speaks this week with Rob Lee, a FPRI Eurasia Fellow, about his recent report, Russia's Coercive Diplomacy. The conversation explores Rob's research about Russia's military build up around Ukraine and what that could signal for Russian coercive signaling during Zapad 2021.

The Iranian government is accused of using a loitering munition to strike the tanker Mercer Street, killing two crew members. The attack is the latest incident at sea involving the Iranians and international shipping. To discuss Iranian strategy in the Persian Gulf, Aaron speaks with Afshon Ostovar, an Associate Professor of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School, about escalation dynamics and Iranian strategy.

On this episode of Chain Reaction, Aaron speaks with Chris Dougherty, senior fellow for defense at CNAS and the co-lead of the CNAS gaming lab, about a recent article he wrote for War on the Rocks, Gradually and then Suddenly: Explaining the Navy's Strategic Bankruptcy.

In this special series hosted by FPRI Fellow and BMB Russia founder, Aaron Schwartzbaum, we’ll explore politics, economics, and their intersection in Russia, Ukraine, and the post-Soviet space and beyond. 

This week Aaron speaks with Fabian Burkhardt, a research fellow at the Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies, about Russian PM Mikhail Mishustin, his agenda, and what his role means for governance in Russia.

President Biden just finished a three-country trip, where he met with world leaders in the United Kingdom, Belgium, and in Switzerland. The main focus of the trip was to reinvigorate U.S. alliances in Europe and with NATO. To discuss the trip, Aaron spoke this week with Rachel Ellehuus, the deputy director and a senior fellow with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

This week we’d like to introduce a special series recorded in collaboration with FPRI’s BMB Russia, a news brief that brings together the latest on Russia’s economy, politics, business, and political risk environment. 

In this special series hosted by FPRI Fellow and BMB Russia founder, Aaron Schwartzbaum, we’ll explore politics, economics, and their intersection in Russia, Ukraine, and the post-Soviet space and beyond. 

This week Aaron is joined by Isabel Linzer, a research analyst on technology and democracy at Freedom House, and Nick Trickett, a specialist on Russia’s political economy and the author of the Russia section of Freedom Houses’ Nations in Transit report, to discuss the state of Russian democracy, as well as Russia’s electoral and internet freedom.

On this episode, Aaron speaks with Mike Benitez, a U.S. military officer and creator of the Merge newsletter, about the challenges of finding mobile rocket launchers in an urban environment.

The views expressed in this episode do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

This week, Aaron spoke with Steven Feldstein, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, about his new book, The Rise of Digital Repression: How Technology is Reshaping Power, Politics, and Resistance (Oxford University Press, 2021).

The relationship between the Russian Federation and Republic of Turkey is one of the most important bilateral relationships in Eurasia today. This week Aaron chats with Robert Hamilton and Anna Mikulska, authors of FPRI's latest report "Russian-Turkish Relations and Their Implications for the West '' about the major drivers of the bilateral relationship and its likely future trajectory.

Read the report here: https://www.fpri.org/article/2021/04/cooperation-competition-and-compartmentalization-russian-turkish-relations-and-their-implications-for-the-west/

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or the Department of Defense.

In this episode, Aaron speaks with Mule about the lessons that the United States should from the Russian Aerospace Forces’ operations in Syria. Mule is preparing to deploy to Jordan to command an operational support squadron.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

On this week's episode, Dr. Thomas Lynch joins the show to discuss his latest book, Strategic Assessment 2020: Into a New Era of Great Power Competition, which includes a series of essays about Great Power Competition and U.S. national security policy. The podcast discussed themes from the essays and U.S. policy under both President Trump and President Biden.


The book is available for free on the National Defense University Website.

In this episode of Chain Reaction, Aaron speaks with Nicholas Danforth, a Non-Resident Senior Research Fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy, about the current state of U.S.-Turkish relations during the Biden administration.

The air war against the Islamic State was critical to the territorial defeat of the group's territorial caliphate and a key enabler of American partner operation led ground combat. To discuss the air war, Aaron spoke this week with Stacie L. Pettyjohn, director of the Strategy and Doctrine Program of RAND Project AIR FORCE, and Becca Wasser, a fellow in the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security, about their recent multi-authored book, The Role of U.S. Airpower in Defeating ISIS.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has launched a global posture review, shortly after taking office. To discuss the process and the likely implications for U.S. posture in the Central Command area of operation, Aaron speaks this week with Becca Wasser, a Fellow at the Center for New American Security's Defense Program and Co-Lead, The Gaming Lab.

Great power competition is likely to outlast the Trump presidency. To discuss the Biden Administration’s national security priorities and the role that special forces are likely to play, Aaron speaks with Tim Ball, a special forces officer and a fellow in FPRI’s National Security Program.

The war in Nagorno-Karabakh is a human tragedy, but also provides observers the opportunity to monitor modern conflict and think closely about lessons for Western militaries. To discuss the on-going conflict and what it may mean for future combat, Aaron speaks this week with Michael Kofman, Director of the Russia Studies Program at the CNA, Jack Watling, Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute, and Rob Lee, a PhD candidate at King's College, London.

Related Reading:

The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, Two Weeks In - War on the Rocks
https://bit.ly/31xD9CE

The Conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh Is Giving Us a Glimpse into the Future of War - RUSI https://bit.ly/35jJLFK

A few weeks ago, an AI algorithm beat a human pilot in a series of simulated dogfights, as part of the AlphaDogfight challenge to “demonstrate the feasibility of developing effective, intelligent autonomous agents capable of defeating adversary aircraft in a dogfight." The simulation touched off debate about the future of air combat. To discuss this, Aaron spoke this week with "Mule", an F-15E Weapons Systems Officer and Ryan "Stinger" Fishel, a F-15E pilot, about the simulation and the future of air combat.

The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

Events in Syria have brought American and Russian militaries into close contact. In recent weeks, a video emerged showing Russian helicopters flying low over an American patrol, and it was later revealed that US soldiers were injured when a Russian vehicle rammed an American vehicle. To discuss ground deconfliction, Aaron spoke this week with Bob Hamilton, FPRI Black Sea Fellow and a Professor of Eurasian Studies at the Army War College.

Stay tuned for the launch of FPRI’s upcoming book Russia’s War in Syria: Assessing Russian Military Capabilities and Lessons Learned on September 14th.

Israel and the United Arab Emirates agreed to begin negotiations to normalize relations, so long as Prime Minister Netanyahu suspends his plans to annex the West Bank. The move was widely welcomed as beneficial for regional stability, but also raised questions about whether it was sustainable. To discuss the agreement, Aaron spoke with Dr. Joshua Krasna, a senior fellow at FPRI and a professor at NYU's Center for Global Affairs.

What is the latest with Turkey's F-35? To get the latest, Aaron speaks this week with Valerie Insinna, Air Warfare Reporter at Defense News, about the latest with Turkey and the F-35.

In this cross-over podcast with Arms Control Wonk, Aaron speaks with Fabian Hinz, a frequent guest on the podcast, about the recent explosions in Iran and what open source intelligence has revealed about the two incidents.

https://www.armscontrolwonk.com/

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has threatened to send armed forces across the border with Libya, following Turkey's successful ousting of Khalifa Haftar from territory his militia held in the western part of the country. The flashpoint is Sirte, where Turkish-backed forces are deployed and possibly preparing to assault, and which Sisi has pledged to defend. To discuss the Egyptian view of the conflict in Libya, Aaron speaks with Michael Hanna, a senior fellow at the Century Foundation in New York.