Mandates Over Money: Russia’s High-Stakes Bet to Fix Staffing Shortages
In the face of a chronic labor shortage, officials are opting for ever tougher yet largely ineffective measures.
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62% “Living on Credit and a Paycheck”: The New Pillar of Russia’s Stability — According to the Russian Academy of Sciences
New RAS research finds a “limited-consumption” majority underpinning Russia’s stability: state-paid wages and easy credit secure loyalty, while appetite for reform and growth wanes.
Russia’s Unmanned Systems Troops: Grand Plans, Slipping Deadlines
The effort to establish a dedicated Unmanned Systems branch within Russia’s Armed Forces is sputtering. The deadline Defense Minister Andrei Belousov set for standing up an independent service by the third quarter of 2025 now appears likely to slip.
Putin Demands Monetary Normalization and Industrial Growth
At a recent meeting with cabinet members, President Vladimir Putin forcefully raised the need to normalize monetary policy and secure industrial growth.
China Receives First LNG Cargo From a U.S.-Sanctioned Russian Project
If confirmed, this would mark the first such delivery amid Moscow’s efforts to sustain energy exports, Bloomberg notes.
The EU Moves Closer to Using Russian Assets to Rebuild Ukraine
Brussels is seeking a way to channel the returns from frozen Russian funds into Ukraine’s defense and postwar reconstruction without resorting to immediate confiscation.
Why the Russia–India–China Reboot Won’t Last
Trump’s trade war has pushed Moscow, New Delhi, and Beijing into a tactical rapprochement. Yet beneath the outward unity lies an old, deep-seated mistrust.
Unconditional Support, Rising Pride: Russia’s National Identity Hardens
According to the latest Levada Center poll, feelings of national pride and identity have risen markedly in recent years.
Ukraine Fortifies Itself Against a “Dictated Peace”: How Kyiv Is Building Its Own Security Guarantees
Even if President Donald Trump periodically signals a readiness to allow Kyiv to strike targets on Russian territory, Ukraine’s room for maneuver remains limited.
Rubio’s Mission: How Washington Is Building “Security Guarantees” for Ukraine
The administration of President Donald Trump is trying to jump-start the stalled peacea process in the war in Ukraine—and a key role in that effort has been assigned to Marco Rubio.
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