Global Affairs
The early hours of June 1, 2025, witnessed a daring Ukrainian operation targeting the Kerch Bridge, a 19-kilometer structure connecting Russia to Crimea. This third assault on the bridge since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 marked a new frontier in asymmetric warfare, leveraging covert underwater sabotage to cripple a
Global Affairs
The dawn of June 1, 2025, marked a paradigm shift in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict as Ukrainian drones penetrated over 4,300 kilometers into Russian territory to strike the Belaya airbase in Siberia—a facility housing nuclear-capable Tu-95MS "Bear" and Tu-22M3 "Backfire" strategic bombers. This audacious attack,
Global Affairs
Introduction In May 2025, Russia’s literary and cultural landscape was rocked by a sweeping directive: major book distributors ordered the removal of British and U.S. bestsellers, as well as works by prominent Russian and international authors, from bookshop shelves across the country. This purge, widely interpreted as part
Global Affairs
Introduction Chinese President Xi Jinping’s May 2025 state visit to Moscow marked a watershed in Sino-Russian relations, transforming their “no-limits” partnership from rhetorical flourish into operational reality. Against the backdrop of Russia’s protracted war in Ukraine and escalating U.S.-China tensions, the summit produced a 7,000-word
Global Affairs
The first direct peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in over three years concluded in Istanbul on May 16, 2025, marking a pivotal moment in the protracted conflict. While the talks failed to produce a ceasefire agreement, they resulted in a landmark prisoner exchange deal and exposed the entrenched geopolitical
Global Affairs
Introduction Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered its fourth year, but the Kremlin shows no signs of de-escalation. Instead, it is accelerating a dual-track strategy: reshuffling its military leadership to address battlefield inefficiencies while aggressively expanding its armed forces to sustain the war and prepare for potential conflict with
Global Affairs
Introduction On May 9, 2025, Moscow’s Red Square became the stage for a display of military might and diplomatic symbolism as Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping for Russia’s Victory Day parade. This year’s commemoration, marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s
Global Affairs
Introduction In a bold escalation of the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian forces launched a surprise cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk region on May 5–6, 2025, breaching defenses near the village of Tetkino and advancing into Russian territory. The operation, supported by armored vehicles and drones, marks Kyiv’s most
Global Affairs
Introduction On April 24, 2025, the heads of intelligence and security agencies from all five Central Asian states-Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan-convened in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for an unprecedented summit. This historic gathering marked a significant milestone in the evolution of regional security cooperation, as the region’s governments seek
Global Affairs
Introduction The past 24 hours have seen a dangerous escalation in the decades-long India-Pakistan conflict, with cross-border skirmishes, diplomatic ruptures, and nuclear posturing bringing the nuclear-armed rivals to the brink of broader military confrontation. The flashpoint remains the disputed region of Kashmir, where a lethal terrorist attack on April 22,
Eurasia
Global Affairs
Introduction On April 22, 2025, the tranquil meadows of Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir were shattered by one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the region’s recent history. Multiple gunmen, emerging from the dense pine forests, opened fire on hundreds of tourists, killing at least 26