Russian Security Index

🔥 Open Collar Interview with Greg Dong Suk Yoo 👤 The new guest of PIR Center’s Open Collar Interview is Greg Dong Suk Yoo, a PhD candidate in Political Science at MGIMO University and a South Korean specialist in international security, nonproliferation, and Russia–Korean Peninsula relations. His academic and professional experience spans the University of Notre Dame, the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, MGIMO University, the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), government affiliated think tank in South Korea. His current research focuses on alliance politics, nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula, and Russia’s role in Northeast Asian security. Through my travels in different countries, Russia has actually been one of the most comfortable countries for me personally. I’ve spent close to two years here in total, and I genuinely can’t recall an incident where I felt people were unfriendly. If anything, people have tended to be warm and helpful. – Greg Dong Suk Yoo. 🍀 The interview was conducted by Roman Kalinin, Research Fellow at PIR Center. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #yaderny_kontrol #open_collar

🇫🇷 French “Forward Deterrence” and the European Nuclear Debates: First Practical Steps and German Assessments 🛩 On July 16, 2026, the French and German air forces conducted joint exercises, the first held within the framework of cooperation on “forward deterrence.” Two French Rafale fighters and two German Eurofighters took off from the German air base at Nörvenich. The exercise was aimed at practicing joint maneuvers and conducting aerial refueling using a French A330 MRTT Phénix tanker aircraft. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also announced that the next exercise would take place in the second half of 2026. 🔎 How "forward deterrence" is implemented and what discussions it causes read in a new commentary by Ms. Alexandra Zubenko, Deputy Director of PIR Center. Finland and Lithuania have also shown interest in closer involvement in European nuclear deterrence, although by mid-July they were not among Paris’s formal partners. The Finnish parliament removed legislative restrictions that had previously prevented the possible presence or transit of nuclear weapons during a crisis. In Lithuania, political leaders have begun discussing the repeal of Article 137 of the Constitution, which prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and foreign military bases.The degree of participation in the initiative varies considerably from country to country. Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Poland already have dedicated bilateral formats, while other states remain limited to consultations and domestic discussions about the desirability of a European dimension of deterrence. – Ms. Alexandra Zubenko, Deputy Director of PIR Center. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #yaderny_kontrol #pir_post

🆑 PIR Press News ⛵️In 2026, Russia marks the 220th anniversary of the completion of the first Russian circumnavigation. To commemorate the occasion, Vladimir Orlov’s website has opened access to the thematic blog “The First Russian Voyage Around the World told by Captain Lisyansky”. 🔎The section features 15 essays reconstructing the route and events associated with the voyage of the sloop Neva under the command of Lieutenant Commander Yuri Lisyansky in 1803–1806, undertaken alongside Ivan Krusenstern’s expedition aboard the Nadezhda. The narrative follows the expedition chronologically through the principal geographical locations visited by the crew during its three-year journey. 🗺Over the next two weeks, we invite our readers to follow the route of the Neva — from the Great Kronstadt Roadstead to its triumphant return — and discover fascinating facts, remarkable episodes, and little-known details of this voyage, which holds an important place in Russian history and science. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press

🆑 PIR Press News 🔥 PIR Center is pleased to announce the publication of its new report (in Russian), “From Ally to Independent Player: Prospects for Australia’s Nuclear Independence Within the AUKUS Alliance,” prepared by Mr. Yuriy Shakhov, PIR Center editor and graduate of the MA Program International Security. The report is published as part of PIR Center Reports series (№51) and represents a comprehensive study of the extent to which Australia’s participation in the AUKUS partnership contributes to the formation of its nuclear independence and the strengthening of its strategic autonomy. 🔎 The report is based on a Master’s thesis presented by the author at MGIMO University in June 2026. The scientific advisor of the research paper was Dr. Vladimir Orlov, PIR Center Founding Director and Professor at MGIMO University. 👤 The reviewers of the work are Mr. Vladimir Ladanov, Chargé d`Affaires of Russia in India, PIR Center Advisory Board member (since 2024), and Mr. Dmitriy Stefanovich, Research Fellow at the Center for International Security at IMEMO RAS, PIR Center Advisory Board member (since 2022). The prospects for Australia’s nuclear independence within the AUKUS alliance remain highly ambivalent. Currently, the nation stands on the threshold of a new phase in its strategic and defense development. Canberra is progressively seeking to shed its role as a “junior partner” to the United States and the United Kingdom. To achieve this, Canberra is increasing defense expenditures, modernizing its naval fleet, developing a domestic defense-industrial base, and acquiring access to naval nuclear propulsion technologies. However, these very processes demonstrate that Australian autonomy is developing not outside the framework of the alliance, but within it. – Mr. Yuriy Shakhov, PIR Center editor and graduate of the MA Program International Security, implemented jointly by MGIMO University and PIR Center. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press #AUKUS #Australia

🆑 PIR Press News ◻️⬜️ From June 23 to July 15, 2026, the XXIV PIR Center International School on Global Security, one of the most established and prestigious educational events in its field, took place. The school was organized by PIR Center in cooperation with MGIMO University as part of the Priority 2030 strategic academic leadership program. 🌍 The School’s events were attended by young scientists and journalists, undergraduates and postgraduates from Russia, Belarus, Chad and South Korea. The central topics were the future of nuclear non-proliferation, artificial intelligence and advanced technologies. 🎓Participants of the XXIV PIR Center International School on Global Security shared their opinions about the event: First of all, I was impressed by the high level of organization of the School. The participation of Mr Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, was particularly memorable. His speech once again showed that Russia attaches much greater importance to international security issues and strategic stability. I would also like to note the high professionalism of the lecturers and experts who generously shared their knowledge and their many years of experience with us. – Ahmat Mahamat Tahir Bakhit, journalist of Sputnik Africa news agency, Republic of Chad. I would like to express my deep gratitude to Dr Vladimir Orlov and the organizers of the 2026 International PIR Center School. I really enjoyed the whole program. It was especially important for me to have the opportunity to talk with many well-known experts. – Greg Yoo, postgraduate student of the Department of Oriental Studies at MGIMO University, specializing in International Relations, Global and Regional Studies, Republic of Korea. The XXIV PIR Center School is not just an educational intensive, but a real brainstorming session, where the theory of international relations collides with the living practice of global politics. It leaves you not only with a mountain of notes, but also with a clear understanding: we are at the bifurcation point of global security, and young specialists will have to look for answers to challenges that did not exist yesterday. – Egor Sogrin, research assistant and student at the Faculty of World Politics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russian Federation The XXIV PIR Center International School on Global Security is an unforgettable experience. Firstly, it is a unique platform where you can listen to lectures by leading experts in the field of nuclear non-proliferation and the use of artificial intelligence. Secondly, it is a great opportunity to participate in seminars, business cases and Timerbayev Debate. – Olga Zhuravskaya, Associate Professor of the Department of International Relations, Faculty of Economics, BSU, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Republic of Belarus. At the XXIV PIR Center International School, we were offered a real a la carte intellectual menu: nuclear non-proliferation and the impact of new technologies on global security. And you know, the deeper we got into the program, the more this menu reminded me of molecular cuisine. – Daria Shifrina, PhD Student, Department of Economic Theory and History of Economic Thought, St. Petersburg State University, Russian Federation. The School is extremely useful for any international specialist as it offers a large amount of information and assessments on the most pressing issues of international security, presented in a comprehensive form by leading experts in the field. – Anton Ivashenko, student of the Strategic Studies Master’s program, St. Petersburg State University, Russian Federation. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press #IS26

🆑 PIR Press News Ⓜ The deadline for submitting documents for admission to the joint Master's Program by MGIMO and PIR Center in International Security is drawing to a close. Acceptance of documents ends on August 1. 🎓 The MA Program in International Security is an educational program conducted jointly by MGIMO University and PIR Center aimed at training professionals in high demand within foreign policy institutions. It is intended for students from both Russia and foreign countries. The program offers 4 state-funded places. 📚At the end of April during an Open Day for this Master’s Program, the main conditions related to admission were highlighted. On June 25, 2026, MGIMO University hosted the graduation of the first cohort from the MA Program. This inaugural graduation marked a major milestone in the development of this educational track, confirming the high demand for a format that seamlessly combines fundamental academic preparation with active engagement in practical expert work. 🔎More detailed information about the conditions of study at the MA Program International Security is available via the link. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press #ISMA

⚡️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️Read this exclusive interview for Sputnik Africa featuring Dr. Vladimir Orlov, Founding Director of PIR Center and Founding President of the Trialogue Club International, alongside Dr. Andrey Kortunov, an expert from the Valdai International Discussion Club and a member of the PIR Center Advisory Board. Speaking on the sidelines of the international launch of the Security Index Yearbook 2026/2027, they discuss the current situation in Africa and Russia's interests in the region. The interview is in French https://fr.sputniknews.africa/20260724/gouvernance-mondiale-lafrique-est-elle-prete-a-parler-dune-seule-voix-1087787786.html

🇩🇰🇳🇴🇸🇪🇫🇷Nuclear past and present of Scandinavia: How Sweden, Norway, and Denmark are Reopening the Nuclear Sphere Against the Background of the French Initiative 🔔 Amid signals of a possible reduction in the US military presence in Europe and a review of funding for common defense programs, France has launched a forward deterrence initiative, offering European partners participation in its nuclear forces as an addition to the American umbrella. Nine countries joined the initiative, including Sweden, Norway and Denmark, which, despite their long-standing refusal to deploy nuclear weapons on their territory in peacetime, had already conducted research in the atomic field in the 1940s. 🔎 Read more in the commentary by Ms. Anna Tishina, PIR Center intern: While in the 1960s and 1970s Sweden, Norway and Denmark assumed self‑restraint, guided by the principles of non-proliferation and regional stability, today they are returning to the nuclear issue as equal partners in the European collective defense system. Participation in strategic dialogue, joint exercises and operational planning allows Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo to diversify security guarantees, without relying solely on transatlantic ties. – Ms. Anna Tishina, PIR Center intern. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #yaderny_kontrol #pir_post #NPT

🎓 PIR Center Invites Readers to Explore the Materials of the Online Course «International Security Midweek Brainstorming Series (2025-2026)», which brought together leading Russian and international experts in international relations, arms control, and nuclear nonproliferation. 🚀 Could the world be entering a new arms race? How is strategic stability evolving amid intensifying great-power competition? What challenges confront the nuclear nonproliferation regime and international security institutions? These and many other questions are addressed in PIR Center’s online course, the materials of which are available on the PIR Center website in the section «International Security Midweek Brainstorming Series (2025-2026)» (in Russian). 📌 The transformation of the contemporary world order and the crisis of international institutions; 📌 Strategic stability and the future of arms control; 📌 The nuclear nonproliferation regime and the prospects for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT); 📌 Regional dimensions of international security, including developments in the Middle East and on the Korean Peninsula; 📌 Nuclear deterrence and emerging technologies affecting the strategic balance; 📌 Cybersecurity and its relationship with international stability; 📌 Peaceful uses of nuclear energy, international cooperation in the nuclear field, and the activities of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); 📌 New challenges arising from rapid technological and geopolitical changes. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press

⚡️️Read the commentary by Dr. Leonid Tsukanov, a PIR Center consultant, on how Saudi Arabia's expanding nuclear program is reshaping Middle Eastern geopolitics: https://thinkbrics.substack.com/p/the-kings-move-saudi-nuclear-energy

🆑 PIR Press News 1️⃣1️⃣1️⃣ 📖A launch of Security Index Yearbook: Global Edition, Volume 2 (2026 – 2027), was held as a part of the 130th summer Session of the Trialogue Club International. Event was attended by representatives of 20 countries. Security Index Yearbook is a publication on international security issues prepared jointly by MGIMO University and PIR Center within the program “Priority – 2030”. ◻️ Dr. Vladimir Orlov, Founding Director of PIR Center, Founding President of the Trialogue Club International, delivered opening remarks. Then the speakers of the Trialogue Session, leading Russian experts, authors of the Security Index Yearbook, namely Dr. Dmitry Trenin, President of RIAC, Member of PIR Center Executive Board, Scientific Director of the Institute of Military Economics and Strategy, National Research University Higher School of Economics; Dr Dmitry Stefanovich, Researcher at the Military Economics and Innovation Sector of the IMEMO RAS Center for International Security, member of PIR Center Advisory Board; Amb. Marat Berdiyev, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Group of Twenty, APEC and GEP, member of PIR Center Advisory Board; and Dr. Andrey Kortunov, expert, Valdai International Discussion Club, member of PIR Center Advisory Board, shared their thoughts and ideas about the current situation in the field of international relations. ◻️ The event was attended by the representatives of the diplomatic corps from 20 countries and 2 international organizations, as well as aspiring international specialists, including participants of the XXIV International School on Global Security. The Ambassadors of Brazil, Pakistan and Ireland were among those present. The event was covered in the leading Russian media. ◻️ The second volume consists of 10 sections and 22 chapters, prepared by 32 experts from Russia and other countries. The authors include renowned Russian international security specialists; ministers such as Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov; deputy ministers, including Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov; ambassadors; and former presidents, namely former Kiribati leader Teburoro Tito, who all contributed to the edition. ◻️ The Yearbook covers a broad range of global security and arms control issues, including international information security and the military application of AI technologies, as well as the dynamics of Russia’s relations with key global political powers such as China, the United States, leading Middle Eastern powers. ◻️ This edition devotes special attention to Africa, examining relations with the region through the lens of high technology and resource wars. Some of these issues are explored, among other things, through interviews with Russian and foreign experts, diplomats, and political figures. This allows for a comprehensive view of the issues raised, from both the inside and the outside. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press #IS26 #Security_Index_Yearbook

🆑 PIR Press News 🔥 On July 7, 2026, the XXIV PIR Center International School on Global Security hosted the X International Timerbaev Debates on the topic “Military artificial intelligence in the context of global confrontation between world powers: a strategic resource for Russia or a source of new threats to national security?”. Two teams, which included representatives of Russia, Belarus, Chad and South Korea, participated in the debates. Ⓜ The event was moderated by the Areopagus of Debates, consisting of Vadim Kozyulin, a PIR Center Council member and consultant and Chief Researcher at the Center for Military and Political Studies at the Institute of Current International Problems of the MGIMO Diplomatic Academy, and Yulia Tseshkovskaya, a PIR Center Expert Council member and Head of Marketing at Evocargo. ◻️ Team № 1, consisting of Olga Zhuravskaya, Associate Professor of the Department of International Relations at the Faculty of International Relations of the Belarusian State University, and Greg Yoo, a graduate student in Political Science at MGIMO, worked under the guidance of Adlan Margoev, a researcher at the Institute of International Studies and a lecturer at the MGIMO Department of Oriental Studies, and presented the position that military artificial intelligence was a source of new threats to national security. ◻️ The view that military artificial intelligence was a strategic resource for Russia was defended by Team № 2, which included Ahmat Mahamat Tahir Bakhit, a journalist at the Sputnik Africa news agency, and Tatiana Grishanina, an independent researcher. Leonid Tsukanov, a PIR Center consultant, acted as a mentor of the team. 🦏 The debates were attended by other School participants who voted for the winning team. According to the audience, the most consistent arguments were given by Team № 2 members who proved that military artificial intelligence was a strategic resource for Russia’s national security. The team’s arguments were so convincing that by the end of the debates, some of the viewers who had previously considered military artificial intelligence a source of new threats had changed their minds. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press #IS26 #TIM

🆑 PIR Press News The 130th Session of the Trialogue Club International held on the Margins of the XXIV International School on Global Security in Zvenigorod Ⓜ Dr. Vladimir Orlov, Founding Director of PIR Center, Founding President of the Trialogue Club International, delivered opening remarks, outlined the latest news and future plans of the Club and PIR Center together with launch of the Security Index Yearbook Global Edition 2026-2027 Volume 2. ◻️During the session two panel discussions were held. The first was on topic “Russia and Global Security Challenges”, keynote speeches were delivered by Dr Dmitry Trenin, President of RIAC, Member of PIR Center Executive Board, Scientific Director of the Institute of Military Economics and Strategy, National Research University Higher School of Economics, and Dr Dmitry Stefanovich, Researcher at the Military Economics and Innovation Sector of the IMEMO RAS Center for International Security, member of PIR Center Advisory Board. ◻️The second panel discussion was devoted to the topic “Regional Security and Russia’s Interests”, where the main speakers were Amb. Marat Berdiyev, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Group of Twenty, APEC and GEP, member of PIR Center Advisory Board, and Dr Andrey Kortunov, expert, Valdai International Discussion Club, member of PIR Center Advisory Board. ◻️ The session was attended by the ambassadors, senior diplomats, businessmen, experts and young professionals from 20 countries and 2 international organizations, as well as participants of the XXIV International school on global security. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press #IS26 #Trialogue

🆑 PIR Press News ⚡On June 25, 2026, MGIMO University hosted the graduation of the first cohort from the “International Security” joint Master’s program run by MGIMO and PIR Center. Launched in 2024 as part of the project Global Security, Strategic Stability, and Arms Control under the auspices of the “Priority 2030” Strategic Academic Leadership Program, the curriculum trains specialists for foreign policy organizations operating in the field of international security. This inaugural graduation marked a major milestone in the development of this educational track, confirming the high demand for a format that seamlessly combines fundamental academic preparation with active engagement in practical expert work. Two years have passed… And our МA program International Security – a joint project of PIR Center and MGIMO, where I serve as founder and academic director – is no longer ‘new’: we are graduating our first cohort. The second cohort is currently studying. In August, we will select the third cohort. The Master’s program is a success. This can now be said with certainty, as final state examinations have concluded, students have defended their Master’s theses, and the state commission has signed the protocols,” said Vladimir Orlov, Academic Director of the program, Founder and Director of PIR Center, and Professor at MGIMO University. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press #ISMA

🔥PIR Center invites its alumni, friends, and partners to participate in the annual meeting of the PIR Alumni Community, which will be held in the format of the IV Maslin-Fest. ⏰ The IV Maslin-Fest will take place on July 8, 2026, from 7:30 PM to 11:00 PM as part of the XXIV International School on Global Security. The event will serve as the official closing ceremony of the School and will be held at the Tatyana Provence Hotel (12 Moskovskaya St., Zvenigorod).We also invite Maslin Fest participants to attend the School’s final lecture on "New Technologies and the Future of Arms Control in the Era of a Treaty Vacuum," which will be delivered by Dmitry Stefanovich at 16:15. You can find more details about the School’s program via the link. 📌 To participate in the meeting of the PIR Alumni Community, please follow the link below. 👉 Read more about participation Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press #Maslin_Fest

🆑 PIR Press News ⚡MGIMO University saw PIR Center hosted an expert seminar on “The Legal Framework for International Cooperation in Peaceful Nuclear Energy.” The keynote speaker at the seminar was Dr. Mikhail Lysenko, PhD in Law, Associate Professor at the Department of International Law, MGIMO University, Advisor to the Director-General of the Rosatom State Corporation, and PIR Center Advisory Board member. 🍀 The topic of his presentation was “Fundamentals of International Nuclear Law. Legal Frameworks for International Legal Cooperation in the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy.” The speaker highlighted the advantages offered by nuclear energy. According to him, these include long-term reliability, predictability, uninterrupted supply, environmental friendliness, and high energy density. 📌 The presentation focused primarily on the legal regulation of both the peaceful use of nuclear energy and the prospects for the development of international nuclear law. Dr. Mikhail Lysenko emphasized that the existing foundational treaties in the field of peaceful nuclear energy, along with IAEA guidance documents, generally regulate international cooperation in this area efficiently. Nuclear energy is a very reliable and long-term source. It is independent of the location and volume of fuel sources. The nuclear power industry produces no greenhouse or carbon monoxide emissions. It is a high-tech sector where a single job can create dozens of jobs in related industries, – Dr. Mikhail Lysenko, PhD in law, Associate Professor at the Department of International Law, MGIMO University, Advisor to the Director-General of Rosatom State Corporation, and PIR Center Advisory Board member. In conclusion, the Q&A session of the seminar took place, and the speaker answered questions from the audience. A video recording of the expert seminar and the speaker’s presentation are now available on PIR Center website in the “NONPROLIFERATION.WORLD” section, under the subsection of the online-course titled “Current Issues in International Security 2025–2026: PIR–MGIMO Seminar Series” (in Russian). 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press #NPT

🆑 PIR Press News 🇨🇺 PIR Center is delighted to announce the launch of a new section on its website dedicated to the special topic: “Russia–Cuba.” The relevance of the Russian-Cuban agenda has risen sharply following the recent Plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Republic of Cuba, at which decisions were approved to further adjust the economic model and deepen socialist construction amid the tightening of the U.S. blockade. 📖 In a new section on our website, you can find materials dedicated to various aspects of the current state and prospects of cooperation between Moscow and Havana, starting from a historical retrospective of the Republic’s cooperation with the USSR and ending with the prospects for the development of nuclear energy on the island. Ⓜ Separate section features the blog by Dr. Vladimir Orlov, PIR Center Founding Director and professor at MGIMO University, entitled “Cuba: An Island on the Eve,” posted on his personal website Orloff.World, and based on his findings from his recent tour of duty to the Republic of Cuba. During his visit to Cuba, Dr. Vladimir Orlov spent several weeks working on articles for the Kommersant Daily, the International Affairs Journal, etc., as well as gathering material for his new book. It’s easy for the inexperienced to be misled into thinking of Cuba as a compliant junior partner hooked on the cultura de propina (‘culture of tipping’). In reality, Cuba stands on its own two feet. One can and should sympathize with it due to that abhorrent policy of suffocation adopted by its unrestrained northern neighbor. But there’s no need to shower it with handouts: even if they’re in the form of oil, or to mourn it as if it were terminally ill or already on its deathbed. It won’t appreciate your tears. Because you’re burying it. But it’s alive! One of the most prominent fighters for Cuban independence, Céspedes, once came to the conclusion that, as a Cuban, he must start a new tradition where everything is like a celebration: generous friendship, boundless improvisation. This was followed by decades of struggle, decades of oppression, decades of vassal dependence, and then, for seven decades now, the most brutal blockade imposed by the United States. Cuba survives. And the tradition established by Céspedes – one in which there is room for celebration, friendship, and improvisation – is as alive as Cuba itself. – Dr. Vladimir Orlov, PIR Center Founding Director, MGIMO University Professor. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_press #Cuba

🆑PIR Center congratulates friends and colleagues who celebrated their birthdays in June! (Part 2) Dear friends and colleagues! On behalf of PIR Center, we cordially wish you a happy birthday! We wish you good health, energy, and inexhaustible optimism to achieve the most ambitious goals. May every day bring you joy and new opportunities. May success and inspiration accompany you in any endeavor. 👉 Read more Ⓜ Follow us on Telegram | Our website #pir_toast