Category: Caucasus

Iran a geopolitical scenario of the new escalation with Israel and Azerbaijan SpecialEurasia e1680615964621
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Middle East Monitoring & Analysis

Iran: a geopolitical scenario of the new escalation with Israel and Azerbaijan

The South Caucasus and the Middle East have long been at the epicentre of geopolitical, ideological and ethnic tensions. While the Israel-Iran hybrid war is experiencing a new momentum, ongoing tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan might open a second front in which both Tel Aviv and Tehran might be involved.

M4 entrance to Republic of Adygea
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Monitoring & Analysis Russia

Increased investment in Adygea confirmed the Kremlin’s strategy in the North Caucasus

Increased Russian investments in Adygea confirm the Kremlin’s strategy to implement the North Caucasus’ socioeconomic development and transform the region into a logistics hub supporting the diversification of Russian exports.

Map of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) (Credits: Hellerick, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Central Asia Monitoring & Analysis Russia

Geopolitics of the International North-South Transport Corridor: an interview with Alexandr Sharov

SpecialEurasia discussed with Alexandr Sharov, General Director of the transport company LLC Neftekhimtrans, Group of companies Rusiranexpo, the current geopolitical significance of the INSTC and possible future developments and impact in the Eurasian strategic chessboard.

L'incontro tra Abdul Hakim al-Shishani, leader di Ajnad al-Kavkaz, e Akhmed Zakayev in Ucraina sottolinea il rischio geopolitico derivante dalla presenza di foreign fightersi in Ucraina (Credits: Twitter Account)
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Monitoring & Analysis Russia Ukraine

Risk Assessment: foreign fighters, battaglioni di volontari in Ucraina e minaccia terroristica

La presenza di foreign fighters e battaglioni di volontari in Ucraina accresce il rischio geopolitico dello scacchiere strategico eurasiatico essendo questi attori non statali impegnati attualmente nel combattere le forze armate russe e al contempo collegati direttamente o indirettamente con membri della diaspora o della militanza armata-jihadista che negli ultimi anni hanno operato nello spazio post-sovietico e in Medio Oriente.

Islamic banking
Posted in Monitoring & Analysis Caucasus Kavkaz Files ISSN 2975-0474 Russia

Islamic Banking in Russia: Why Does It Matter?

The Kremlin’s project to evaluate the opportunity to implement Islamic banking in Russia might support the national economy, attract foreign investors from the Arab-Muslim world, and counter the consequences of Western sanctions imposed against Moscow due to the Ukraine conflict.

Geopolitical risk Iran and the Caucasus SpecialEurasia
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Middle East Monitoring & Analysis

Geopolitical risk of Iran and the Caucasus: what to watch in 2023

In 2023, military escalations, domestic political turmoil, and economic crises might increase Iran and the Caucasus’ geopolitical risk and threaten regional security, whose consequences might broadly destabilise the Eurasian strategic chessboard.

Gold mining in Nagorno Karabakh
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Monitoring & Analysis

Miniere, ambiente e politica: la guerra per il Nagorno-Karabakh entra in una nuova fase

Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Volume 26 Issue 4 – Le manifestazioni ‘ambientaliste’ dei cittadini azeri e il blocco della via di collegamento Goris-Stepanakert che ha isolato il Nagorno-Karabakh celano una strategia di Baku volta a controllare le risorse del territorio, in special modo quelle minerarie.

Free Artsakh sign
Posted in Monitoring & Analysis Caucasus Kavkaz Files ISSN 2975-0474

Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh: Azerbaijan’s strategy might lead to a humanitarian crisis and a military escalation

Azerbaijan’s transport and gas supply blockade of the Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh might cause a regional humanitarian crisis and evolve into a military escalation capable of destabilising the South Caucasus.

Sergei Melikov
Posted in Caucasus Kavkaz Files ISSN 2975-0474 Monitoring & Analysis Russia

Dagestan – Azerbaijan cooperation in transport and logistics supports Russian regional strategy

The commercial and political partnership between Dagestan and Azerbaijan might support the increasing relations between Moscow and Baku and implement the Russian foreign policy in the South Caucasus and the Caspian Sea region.

Government of Abkhazia in Sukhum
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Monitoring & Analysis Russia

Russia confirms its strategic interests in Abkhazia and the South Caucasus

The Russian State Duma’s official visit to Abkhazia confirms the Kremlin’s presence in the South Caucasus and the Abkhaz territory’s strategic role in Russia’s foreign policy. Moscow-Sukhum improving relations stress the Russian desire to confirm its influence in the Caucasus in a challenging time characterised by the Ukraine conflict and the confrontation with the West.

Stavropol Territory flag
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Monitoring & Analysis Russia

Discovering Russia’s key foreign target through Stavropol’s economic strategy

Stavropol authorities’ desire to open trade offices abroad might underline Russia’s strategic economic goal in the Eurasian geopolitical chessboard, especially in Azerbaijan, Iran, China, and the United Arab Emirates.

President of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan e1669105852978
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Monitoring & Analysis

Armenia’s prospect in the changing world: an interview with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan

Considering the South Caucasus’ current geopolitical scenario, we discussed with Vahagn Khachaturyan, President of the Republic of Armenia, the country’s prospects in the changing world and possible regional developments to assess local stability and security and evaluate Armenia’s potentialities.

Magas the capital of Ingushetia
Posted in Monitoring & Analysis Caucasus Kavkaz Files ISSN 2975-0474 Russia

Ingushetia: IT Park “Adam Khamkhoev” between economic development and social promotion

The establishment of an IT Park in Ingushetia named after Adam Khamkhoev, killed in May 2022 in Ukraine, underlined local and central authorities’ desire to promote economic development and support Kremlin’s narrative related to heroism and national unity.

European Union Parlament
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Monitoring & Analysis

Moscow’s involvement in Ukraine allows the European Union to accredit itself as a mediator between Armenia and Azerbaijan

After almost three decades on the sidelines of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict negotiation process, the European Union has now stepped in, positioning itself as a mediator in the Armenian-Azerbaijani conciliation process.

Makhachkala Commercial Sea Port map SpecialEurasia Monitoring Risk Analysis Map
Posted in Monitoring & Analysis Caucasus Kavkaz Files ISSN 2975-0474

Makhachkala port plays a decisive role in the Iran-Dagestan grain trade

Iran and Dagestan have increased their trade exchange through the Makhachkala Commercial Port, where the Kremlin has invested financial funds to transform this infrastructure into a logistic hub in the Caspian Sea, which might undermine the role of the close port of Baku in Azerbaijan.

Permanent Representation of Artsakh in Yerevan e1667492698213
Posted in Caucasus Discovery & Analysing Armenia Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Monitoring & Analysis

The Republic of Artsakh between self-determination and constant military threat: an interview with Sergey Ghazaryan

SpecialEurasia met with Sergey Ghazaryan, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Artsakh in Armenia, with whom we discussed how recent regional geopolitical dynamics in the Caucasus had influenced the current situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

MFA of Armenia
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Monitoring & Analysis

Armenia’s foreign policy: an interview with Paruyir Hovhannisyan

SpecialEurasia met with Paruyr Hovhannisyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, with whom we discussed Yerevan’s regional and foreign policy and Armenia’s strategy to protect its sovereignty and citizens.

Armenian Parliament
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Monitoring & Analysis

Armenia’s domestic and foreign policy: a meeting with Hripsime Grigoryan and Artur Hovhannisyan

SpecialEurasia met with Hripsime Grigorianand Artur Hovhannisyan, members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, to investigate the Government’s domestic politics and assess the national situation.

Yerevan Armenia scaled
Posted in Discovery & Analysing Armenia Caucasus Kavkaz Files ISSN 2975-0474 Monitoring & Analysis

Cultural/fashion diplomacy and economy in Armenia: the story behind Udivila

During SpecialEurasia’s official mission to Yerevan, our team met with Armenian female entrepreneurs who founded the brand Udivila, which promotes Armenian culture and attempts to carve out a slide of a market where Armenia has not yet been present.

Discovering Analysing Armenia
Posted in SpecialEurasia News Caucasus Discovery & Analysing Armenia

SpecialEurasia began its official mission to Armenia

On October 21st, 2022, SpecialEurasia began its special mission in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, to analyse the current situation in the country, assess socioeconomic trends and investigate possible future developments.

North Caucasus SpecialEurasia Monitoring Risk Analysis Map
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Middle East Monitoring & Analysis Russia

The North Caucasus connects Russia with the Middle East and Africa

The Stavropol territory welcomed representatives from the Middle East and Africa in the event “North Caucasus in the Changing World”, whose goal was to create a link between the region and potential foreign investors and markets.

Ramzan Kadyrov
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Monitoring & Analysis Russia Ukraine

Ukraine conflict, Ramzan Kadyrov’s strategic communications and possible future scenarios

Since the beginning of the Ukraine conflict, the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has played a decisive and influential role in assisting the Russian military operations on the ground with his kadyrovtsy and Chechen troops and supporting the Kremlin’s ideological confrontation with the West.

Stavropol territory
Posted in Monitoring & Analysis Caucasus Kavkaz Files ISSN 2975-0474 Russia Terrorism

Islamic State cell arrested in Russian Stavropol territory

Recent arrests of Russian citizens in the Stavropol territory linked with the Islamic State confirmed that jihadist propaganda penetrated the Russian territory by exploiting local problems and influencing the Muslim communities disseminated in the country, especially in the North Caucasus, where the Kremlin has contrasted local militancy and religious extremism.

Avar Theatre in Makhachkala Dagestan
Posted in Monitoring & Analysis Caucasus Kavkaz Files ISSN 2975-0474 Middle East Russia

United Arab Emirates cultural diplomacy in Dagestan

The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the Russian Federation organised an event in the city of Makhachkala to promote the national culture and create a link with Dagestan, a strategic North Caucasian republic located on the Caspian Sea.

Caspian Sea drilling
Posted in Geopolitical Report ISSN 2785-2598 Caucasus Monitoring & Analysis

Caspian Sea Summit geopolitical background

In October 2022, representatives of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Russia will attend the second Caspian Economic Forum hosted in Moscow to discuss future energy cooperation and projects.

National Museum of Dagestan
Posted in Monitoring & Analysis Caucasus Kavkaz Files ISSN 2975-0474 Russia

Russian domestic politics: promoting Dagestan culture among the ethnic Russians

Kremlin’s promotion of Dagestan culture and society in Sochi underlines Moscow’s goal to contrast Kavkazophobia and, simultaneously, improve the link between ethnic Russians and local ethnic Dagestani groups since this North Caucasian republic has a strategic role in the Caspian Sea region.

Georgia Flag
Posted in Monitoring & Analysis Caucasus Kavkaz Files ISSN 2975-0474 Russia Ukraine

Will Georgia open a “second front” against Russia?

Georgian authorities denied that Tbilisi would hold a referendum to open a “second front” against the Russian Federation, destabilising the South Caucasus and threatening the Georgian economy, which is heavily dependent on the Russian market.