The world can’t afford another ‘Mafia Don’ war when it comes to Russia
EXPERT PERSPECTIVE / OPINION – The upcoming peaceful inauguration of the next U.S. president should serve as a reminder to the world of the virtues […] More
Russia
The Undersea Cable War Hits Taiwan
EXPERT INTERVIEW — Undersea cables have been dominating the headlines in recent months – specifically, repeated episodes in which damage has been done to this unseen […] More
Welcome to the Gray Zone and the Future of Great Power Competition
This is part one of a 3-part series by Cipher Brief Expert and former Assistant Director of CIA for South and Central Asia Dave Pitts, who also […] More
A Ukrainian Archbishop Offers Thanks to America – Along With a Warning
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW — After 1,000 days, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused untold suffering for the Ukrainian people; Russian attacks have killed thousands of Ukrainians and […] More
The Latest
NATO Must Respond to Russian Shadow War on European Soil
OPINION — The year 2024 has seen a spate of terrorist attacks strike Europe, and surprisingly, hardly anyone seems to care. Unlike previous waves of terrorism […] More
On Election Day, Bomb Threats and Fake Videos Tied To Russia
DEEP DIVE — In at least five battleground states Tuesday, polling places were targeted by bomb threats, “many of which appear to originate from Russian […] More
Global Challenges for 47th President: Two Major Wars, and Avoiding Conflict With China
EXPERT OPINION — As Americans vote, and an anxious nation awaits the results, we turned to a member of our expert network with extensive global […] More
In Three European Elections, the Kremlin Squares off Against the West
OPINION — While the world is focused on the outcome of this week’s U.S. presidential election, and what it could mean for a range of […] More
A High-level Briefing on Russia for the next U.S. President
EXPERT OPINION – Dear 47th President of the United States, congratulations on your victory and thank you for your willingness to serve as the leader […] More
The U.S. is in the Midst of a Perfect ‘Cognitive Warfare’ Storm
During the 2024 Cipher Brief Threat Conference, Dave Pitts joined Brad Christian, Mike Vickers, and Ralph Goff in a discussion about Gray Zone Operations; a […] More
Why our Presidential Candidates Must Choose Ukraine
OPINION — As the days wind down to what will arguably be the most consequential election in the first half of the 21st Century, there […] More
Ex-Ukraine Defense Minister: Russia ‘Trying to Grow the War’ with North Korean Troops
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW — The Pentagon said Monday that North Korea has sent some 10,000 troops to Russia to train and deploy to the battlefield in Ukraine […] More
Are Putin’s ‘Red Lines’ Real Threats or Hollow Bluffs?
DEEP DIVE — Does Vladimir Putin have actual “red lines” for the West when it comes to the war in Ukraine? And if so, what will […] More
North Korean Deployment Sparks Fears of Escalation – Even ‘World War’ – in Ukraine
DEEP DIVE — North Korea’s deployment of thousands of troops to Russia – presumably for use in the war against Ukraine – has stunned policymakers and […] More
Putin is Offering the West a Choice between War and Dishonor
OPINION – Russian President Vladimir Putin has started the largest conflict on the European continent since World War II. He is the architect and driving […] More
Whatever Happened to Russia’s Wagner Group?
DEEP DIVE — More than a year after the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the infamous leader of the shadowy Russian mercenary outfit known as the Wagner […] More
Why the West Keeps Misreading Russia – and Why That’s Dangerous
OPINION — As the U.S. continues to respond to Russia’s war against Ukraine, there is an ongoing assumption that dominates DC policy debates regarding Russia: that […] More
How Russia’s War Machine Keeps Raking In Money
DEEP DIVE — More than two and a half years after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia’s economy shows surprising resilience. Despite an unprecedented 2,000 sanctions […] More
How Putin Uses ‘Nuclear Coercion’ Against Ukraine – and the West
EXPERT INTERVIEWS — It’s a warning Russia has issued repeatedly since the first days of its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine: Don’t forget that we are […] More