Russia, Eurasia and Black Sea Security

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has reshaped the security, economic and political landscape of the Black Sea region, with consequences reaching into the South Caucasus and Central Asia. The war has redrawn regional security dynamics, disrupted trade and economic ties, and shifted political alignments across the wider region. At the same time, it has transformed Russia's own domestic politics, as the Kremlin adapts governance, the economy and elite politics to a prolonged confrontation with the West.

The programme provides in-depth analysis of these shifting dynamics, pairing expertise on Russian domestic and foreign policy with deep regional specialism across the Black Sea, South Caucasus and Central Asia. It draws on RUSI's unique network and on-the-ground reach across the region and on its cross-disciplinary expertise in hybrid threats. The programme examines how Moscow's strategic calculations are evolving, how neighbouring states are responding to new security and economic pressures, and how the wider regional order is being contested and redrawn - tracking both the immediate security implications of the war and the longer-term structural shifts reshaping Russia's relationship with its neighbours and with the West.

Key themes include:

• Russia's war against Ukraine;
• Russian domestic politics and regime resilience;
• Russian foreign policy and strategic decision-making;
• Black Sea security;
• South Caucasus security amid regional realignment;
• Power competition in Central Asia;
• The Middle Corridor and Trans-Caspian Connectivity;
• Russia's evolving relations with China, Iran and other partners;
• Hybrid threats: disinformation, economic coercion, election interference and sabotage.