Russia
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Northeast Asia
South Korean defense expert shares insights on deterrence efforts, important alliances
Sentry Staff Dr. Hyeongpil Ham, a retired Republic of Korea colonel, has worked for more than 30 years at South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses. He led South Korea’s governmental task force responsible for addressing North Korea’s nuclear threats and developing South Korea’s deterrence and defense strategy. He…
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Features
The Dragon and the Bear
By Falk Tettweiler, Marshall Center researcher and analyst The China-Russia joint statement of February 2022 has widely been interpreted as a signal of deeper cooperation between the countries, which are the major challengers to the world order. Some have gone so far as to assess it as a sign of an institutional axis, or even an alliance. However, the lack…
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Features
Expanding Horizons
FORUM Staff When 200 or so Mongolian pro-democracy activists converged in Sükhbaatar Square on United Nations Human Rights Day in December 1989, there was little to portend the transformation set to unfold. From the square in the capital Ulaanbaatar, peaceful protests would sweep across the country of steppes and deserts. Within three months, Mongolia’s communist regime relinquished power after nearly…
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Global Commons
How China, Russia hope AI will help manipulate information
FORUM Staff Malign actors in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Russia and elsewhere have used artificial intelligence (AI) — although with negligible effect — to enhance manipulated information schemes, according to researchers. OpenAI, the United States-based developer of the AI chatbot ChatGPT, reported in mid-2024 it had detected and disrupted at least five covert influence operations that used its…
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Global Commons
Indo-Pacific Allies, Partners condemn North Korean spy satellite launch attempt
FORUM Staff The rocket explosion that ended North Korea’s latest effort to launch a spy satellite means the authoritarian regime has failed in three of its four attempts to put a military satellite into orbit. After two failed attempts delivered only international embarrassment in 2023, North Korea finally launched a spy satellite late that year, though experts have cast doubt…
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Global Commons
India key to future of BRICS grouping
FORUM Staff The loosely affiliated group called BRICS, which emerged in the mid-2000s consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and later South Africa, faces mounting challenges as it continues to expand. In addition to an economic slowdown globally, the organization must confront increasing geopolitical tensions and internal pressures, including coordination issues, disagreements and differing priorities…
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Conflicts - Tensions
PRC harbors ship tied to illicit Russia-North Korea arms transfers
Reuters The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is providing moorage for a sanctioned Russian cargo ship implicated in North Korean arms transfers to Russia, satellite images show. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a United Kingdom-based think tank, said the Angara — which since August 2023 has transported thousands of containers believed to contain North Korean munitions to Russian ports…
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Conflicts - Tensions
Allies, Partners resolute over North Korea WMD sanctions, condemn Russia’s veto
FORUM Staff Russia’s latest attempt to weaken monitoring of United Nations sanctions of North Korea over its illegal nuclear weapons program will have negligible impact, according to security experts. In late March 2024, Moscow vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have extended the mandate for a panel of experts (POE) to monitor the sanctions. The veto has instead…
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Conflicts - Tensions
Far East territorial dispute tests PRC-Russia ties
FORUM Staff With his authoritarian regime already isolated and weakened because of its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin now has stirred up discord in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the most important of Moscow’s few remaining backers. The flare-up centers on an intractable territorial dispute over Russia’s Far East, which is home to Moscow’s Pacific Fleet…
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Northeast Asia
North Korea, PRC partnership built on shaky ground
FORUM Staff Regardless of the North Korea-People’s Republic of China (PRC) declaration that 2024 will be a year of friendship between the nations, Pyongyang’s erratic behavior, banned nuclear and missile programs, and growing ties with Russia cast a shadow over North Korea’s relationship with Beijing. Analysts say Moscow and Pyongyang likely acted without the PRC’s input in trading North Korean…
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