After initial deployments in Ukraine and Syria, the African continent has become the main theater for Wagner Group operations.

First in a two-part series, this backgrounder traces the origins and earliest deployments of Russia’s infamous mercenary outfit: the Wagner Group.

The Belarus crisis is mainly the result of domestic political tensions. But paradoxically, this is an internal issue that carries a profound international dimension as well.

What’s at stake for Moscow in the ongoing Belarus crisis, and how far is the Kremlin willing to go to protect its interests?

Counter-protests have been a risky proposition for beleaguered governments through the 2010s. Will Belarus be any different?

Ukraine’s long-running religious schism has spilled into the country’s COVID-19 response.

Exploring the economic, environmental, and geopolitical dynamics surrounding the ongoing water crisis in Crimea.

Minsk has tried to carve out a more independent niche since the Ukraine crisis, but its room for maneuver remains severely constrained.

Assessing the wider issues that must be resolved if peace is to return to Ukraine.

Long the site of great power competition, the Black Sea region appears to be heating up once again.