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Report in Short

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5 snips
May 8, 2025 • 17min

The Kremlin's Balancing Act

András Tóth-Czifra, an expert on Russian regional politics, dives into the Kremlin's evolving strategy amid the ongoing war. He discusses how centralization has reshaped local governance, causing friction among regional elites who resist growing federal control. The podcast highlights the economic impacts of war on regional budgets, revealing a stark contrast in fiscal stability and challenges faced by local governments. Tóth-Czifra also underscores the implications of recent reforms, such as the abolishment of local elections, on public engagement and service delivery.
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May 30, 2024 • 15min

Kyrgyzstan Sinks Into Authoritarianism

In the early 1990s, Kyrgyzstan was often referred to as an “island of democracy” in Central Asia. Three distinguishing features of Kyrgyzstan include an active political opposition, a vibrant civil society, and independent media outlets. The current government is eliminating all three of those distinctions.On this episode of Report in Short, Aaron Schwartzbaum is joined by Bruce Pannier, a longtime journalist at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and author of FPRI’s new report "Kyrgyzstan: Central Asia's Island of Democracy Sinks Into Authoritarianism" to discuss how the country reversed course to join the club of authoritarian governments in the region. More from FPRI's Central Asia Initiative 
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Apr 11, 2024 • 15min

Russian Women in the Face of War Against Ukraine

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?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
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Feb 8, 2024 • 15min

A "Frozen Conflict" Boils Over

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
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Jan 9, 2024 • 14min

Russian Military Drones

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.
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Jun 13, 2023 • 15min

The War as an Accelerator

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."
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May 4, 2023 • 15min

The Wagner Group's Expanding Global Footprint

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.

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