Author: Marianna Schantz

North Korea Supplies Russia With Weapons Amid War

This week, a U.S. official reported that Russia has been forced to buy military hardware from North Korea as Western sanctions cripple Moscow’s ability to supply its military. Moscow is in the process of purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from Pyongyang, as U.S. intelligence has reported. The disclosure comes

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Russia’s Gazprom Shuts Down Nord Stream 1 Indefinitely

The Russian energy company Gazprom announced in August that the major gas pipeline Nord Stream 1 to Germany will be halted indefinitely with no timeframe for a reopening.  Nord Stream 1 is the biggest pipeline for gas from Russia to Europe with the capacity to deliver 55bn cubic meters (bcm)

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Report: Drug Trafficking More Prominent In Chile

During my research trip to Chile this past June, an increase in drug trafficking and organized crime was notably a major concern among the people I interviewed about the country’s national security challenges.   Chile is one of South America’s most economically prosperous countries and has become a major migrant hotspot

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Russia’s Alexei Navalny Launches International Anti-Corruption Fund

A year after his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) was outlawed as extremist by the Kremlin, long-time staunch critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Alexei Navalny, has created a new international anti-corruption fund. It is somewhat unclear whether this is a new concept, or whether it is a rebrand of the original

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EU’s ”Final Text” To Revive 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal

As indirect talks between U.S. and Iranian officials wrapped up in Vienna in August, the European Union put forward a ‘final’ word to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. European Union Foreign Affairs Chief Josep Borrell stated that negotiations are complete, and the revival of the agreement now awaits political

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West Pledges Support For Ukraine As Missiles Strike Shopping Centre

On June 27th, Russian missiles struck down a crowded shopping mall in Kremenchuk, Ukraine, as Moscow fights for control of key eastern cities in the country. The death toll has now climbed to over 20 due to the strike in the central Ukrainian region of Poltava, a Ukrainian presidential advisor stated. 

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Russia To Withdraw From International Space Station After 2024

On Tuesday, July 26th, Russia announced its plans to withdraw from the International Space Station (ISS) after 2024, ending a partnership with NASA that has lasted decades. Yuri Borisov, the newly appointed Director General of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos, told Russian President Vladimir Putin that they will fill all obligations

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Russia Resumes Gas Shipments To Germany Through Nord Stream 1

Russia resumed the flow of natural gas to Germany early on Thursday July 21st, 2022, via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. The pipeline, which flows under the Baltic Sea to Germany, had been closed since July 11th for annual maintenance work.  According to The New York Times, the stream of

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U.S. May Let Tajikistan Hold On To Fleeing Afghan Aircraft

On June 16th, 2022, Commander of U.S. Central Command General Michael Kurilla met with the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe, Tajikistan to discuss bilateral security cooperation between the two countries.  The meeting also took place with Minister of Defense General Colonel Sherali Mirzo, Chief of the General Staff

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