Moscow’s tried and tested Georgia strategy now tailored for Ukraine
Western powers appear unable to thwart Putin’s strategy to reassert Russian influence
Technology at the Center of Geopolitical Relations
Technologies from big data to quantum computing, artificial intelligence and next-generation drones are fueling power struggles between nations and large industrial companies. Alice Pannier, head of the Geopolitics of Technology program at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), talks us through the impact of these new technologies, which have added a further level of complexity to the major energy issues seen in the 20th century.
Rewinding the Clock? US-Russia Relations in the Biden Era
The escalating crisis in Ukraine in the winter of 2021-2022 has returned US-Russia relations to center stage.
Russia’s Islam: Balancing Securitization and Integration
Russia’s Islam has been much more than the two Chechen wars, and regular terrorist actions that have shaken the Russian territory. Islam constitutes an integral part of Russia’s history and culture, and the Putin regime regularly celebrates Islam’s contribution to the country and its great power reassertion.
Security Situation in & around Ukraine. Online Briefing by Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba
Since 2014, Ukraine's territorial integrity and security have been challenged by Russia's annexation of Crimea and by the conflict in Donbas. Military maneuvers in spring and October 2021 have raised the threat of open armed conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Kyiv, on the other hand, continues to strengthen its defense capabilities.
HIV/AIDS in Russia, the epidemic too long ignored
With more than one million HIV-positive people, Russia is one of the countries most affected by HIV/AIDS. The first cases appeared in the USSR in 1987 in the south of Ukraine (port of Odessa). Since then, the number of HIV-positive people has steadily increased.
What can we expect from Russia at COP26?
We ask experts whether the Kremlin’s latest moves on climate, including its 2060 net-zero target, heralds genuine change or more greenwash.
Russia has been seen as a climate pariah by the international community for some years. It was one of the last counties to ratify the 2015 Paris Agreement – not until September 2019, at the UN’s Climate Action Summit.
Russia sends warning to cyber security sector with arrest of Ilya Sachkov
lya Sachkov did not hold back, even though Russia’s prime minister was watching him on a panel starring the heads of the country’s top tech companies.
The arrest of Russian cybersecurity titan Ilya Sachkov
Our main story this week is the treason case against Ilya Sachkov, the 35-year-old CEO of the cybersecurity firm Group-IB. On Wednesday morning, September 29, hours after officials raided the company’s Moscow office, a local court jailed Sachkov for the next two months, pending trial.
Kaliningrad in the Post-Crimea Russia. A Bastion or a Weak Link?
Since 2014, Russia’s policies toward Kaliningrad Oblast—its westernmost region located between Lithuania and Poland and physically cut off from Russia’s main body—have undergone notable transformation. One crucial change was the inception of a policy aimed at remilitarization, which has led toward Kaliningrad’s (re)emerging as Russia’s military bastion in the west.
Support independent French research
Ifri, a foundation recognized as being of public utility, relies largely on private donors – companies and individuals – to guarantee its sustainability and intellectual independence. Through their funding, donors help maintain the Institute's position among the world's leading think tanks. By benefiting from an internationally recognized network and expertise, donors refine their understanding of geopolitical risk and its consequences on global politics and the economy. In 2025, Ifri supports more than 80 French and foreign companies and organizations.