Don’t look now but there is another conflict brewing in the former Soviet space.
Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan have been in a freefall for weeks after police in Yekaterinburg allegedly tortured two Azerbaijani citizens to death. The killings came amid a broader Russian crackdown against ethnic Azerbaijanis.
In response, Azerbaijani police stormed the offices of the Russian state-run media outlet Sputnik and arrested seven journalists, including the top two editors, accusing them of working with Russian intelligence. Baku also arrested eight more Russian citizens on charges of drug trafficking and cybercrime.
Baku’s willingness to stand up to Moscow reflects Azerbaijan’s rising clout and confidence. But it also is indicative of something else: the changing power dynamics across the former Soviet space.
On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore discusses these dynamics with Jeff Mankoff, a Distinguished Research Fellow at National Defense University’s Institute for National Strategic Studies and author of the book Empires of Eurasia: How Imperial Legacies Shape International Security.
Enjoy…
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SHOW NOTES
The editorial in The Financial TImes, “The BRICS Lose Their Clout,” which was referenced in the podcast can be accessed here. The Chatham House commentary, “The Rio summit showed that BRICS is less anti-Western than Russia would like it to be,” which was referenced in the podcast, can be accessed here.
Jeff Mankoff’s book, Empires of Eurasia: How Imperial Legacies Shape International Security, can be purchased here. His other published works can be accessed here and here.
The Power Vertical Newsletter on Substack can be accessed here. Recently published work by Brian Whitmore can be accessed here, here, here, and here. Please follow Brian Whitmore and The Power Vertical on Bluesky@powervertical.bsky.social