Ústav mezinárodních vztahů

Russian intelligence is at (political) war
"It is inevitable and understandable that we rely on mirror-imaging when looking at Russia’s security and intelligence services. The problem is that – however much there may appear to be meaningful comparisons on paper – in terms of their missions, interactions and mindsets, they are on a wartime footing," writes Mark Galeotti in his analysis for NATO Review.

Mark Galeotti in DVTV
In the '90s, we were blind to the process of growing democracy restriction in Russia because Boris Yeltsin was "our fellow", and we didn't want the communists to win. After that we were overlooking what Vladimir Putin did in Chechnya because he was our ally in the War on Terror. We are thus paying for our past mistakes now, says Mark Galeotti in his interview for the Czech internet video channel DVTV. According to him, one of the biggest dangers for authoritarian regimes is hope.

Adding spooks to companies creates stagnation
"Russia is now a mobilisation state, where everything from business to the arts can be dragooned to the Kremlin’s cause when it so wills. There is a particular connection between the world of business and the security agencies, with officers being seconded to companies, and corporations getting assistance from the spies. Rather than protecting national champions, though, this is actually encouraging inefficiency and stagnation," writes Mark Galeotti in his latest analysis for IntelliNews Business New Europe.

Stagnation as strategy evident in Tillerson’s trip to Moscow
"The odds for any kind of breakthrough from US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s visit to Russia were vanishingly low from the first. As it was, the political process proved as gridlocked at Moscow’s streets, as highway after highway was closed to accommodate VIP motorcades. This is not just a question of US-Russian relations, though: it also speaks to the Kremlin’s fundamental uncertainty as to what to do about a whole series of urgent concerns," comments Mark Galeotti on US Secretary of State's visit to Russia for IntelliNews Business New Europe.

Terror in Russia and the West: A Need for Compassion
"Europe’s lights were dark for St. Petersburg’s tragedy. It was neither right, nor smart," wrote Mark Galeotti for Moscow Times in his analysis of Petersburg's terrorist attack.

A Few Quick and First Thoughts on the US Airstrike on Syria
The use of chemical weapons against civilians cannot continue with impunity, but is a 50-missile strike the right response? Mark Galeotti answers this question at his blog, In Moscow's Shadows.

Voronenkov's Murder: Russia Will Regret Turning to the ‘Dark Side’
The shocking assassination of Russian politician-turned-pariah Denis Voronenkov last week has sharpened fears among the Russian diaspora of Moscow’s inclination toward vendetta. It is also the topic of an article by Mark Galeotti for THe Moscow Times.

Czech stand ‘confused’ going into Rome informal summit says analyst
"EU leaders met in Rome on Saturday to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding Rome treaty and look forward to the future. That was the theory, but the Czech Republic and other Central European countries had already put down warning markers over what they regarded as moves towards a more multi-speed Europe. Did the Czech Republic have a clear stance going into the summit?" Radio Prague asked Benjamin Tallis.

Follow the Money
A massive Russian money laundromat was exposed . An important investigation released by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) pulled back the curtain on how Russian officials and organized crime figures wash their money. Mark Galeotti was among the guests of the Power Vertical Podcast discussing the disturbing findings of the report.

The Czech Republic gives up on the EU – and foreign policy: A reaction
Benjamin Tallis, Mark Galeotti, Michal Koran, Jakub Eberle, and Ondrej Ditrych react at openDemocracy.net on an interview with Minister of Foreign Affairs.