On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine the likes of which Europe had not seen in the 21st century. Today, the human casualties continue to mount as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s brazen assault on democracy continues.
Meanwhile, the rest of the post-Soviet world is left to pick up the foundations of a quickly-crumbling world order, amid what appears to be a second stage of Soviet collapse. Russian decolonization not only encompasses the defense of Ukrainian sovereignty and independence, but also a renewed focus on the region most immediately vulnerable to Russian aggression and hegemony. From Azerbaijan’s invasion of Armenia in 2022 to border clashes between Collective Security Treaty Organization member states Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, countries once under firmly in Russia’s orbit are quickly slipping from the sphere of influence Russian President Vladimir Putin’s power so heavily relies on.
As an international relations organization firmly devoted to upholding values of human rights and democracy globally, the USC Dornsife Global Policy Institute lends itself as a platform for student analysis of the war in Ukraine, contextualized more broadly in the region of post-Soviet Eurasia, and its international implications.
Follow the editorial analysis by GPI fellows in this latest series organized by GPI editorial lead Mané Berikyan.
The views expressed in Eye on Ukraine: The Region In Context do not necessarily align with the views of the Global Policy Institute editorial staff.
It’s a victory when the weapons fall silent and people speak up.
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine
Editorials
Read our fellows’ analysis of the war in Ukraine, as well as the broader geopolitical challenges across the post-Soviet world and beyond.
Before Bucha in Ukraine, There Was Abkhazia In Georgia: An Interview With Tamara Chergoleishvili
GPI sits down with an artist reintroducing the genocide against ethnic Georgians in Abkhazia
Azerbaijan: A “New Republic”
As Azerbaijani aggression continues, Armenians face greater challenges with each day.
An attempted ethnic cleansing: Azerbaijan closes the Lachin corridor
As the Lachin corridor’s closure passes its two-week mark, the circumstances in Nagorno Karabakh continue to decline.
Azerbaijan’s illegal closure of the Lachin corridor is a precursor to the last stage of ethnic cleansing
By orchestrating the closure of the only link between Nagorno-Karabakh and the outside world, Azerbaijan is creating a quickly…
Violence in Karakalpakstan: what the ongoing human rights violations mean
Violence in the Karakalpakstan region of Uzbekistan demonstrates the growing need for international intervention.
Was Kazakhstan’s “Bloody January” a Symptom of Putin-Gone-Rogue?
Putin’s war on democracy played a role in the CSTO’s decision to deploy troops in Kazakhstan. With the invasion…
For Kim Jong-Un, the Russian invasion of Ukraine is an ideal distraction
While the world is preoccupied with Russia, another unpredictable adversary is acting up under the radar.
A war in Ukraine means an energy crisis in Europe
The EU is being asked to confront its dependency on Russian gas and oil.
Is Bosnia headed for another war?
The already-strained political system looks close to collapsing under pressure from Serb leaders.
Hungary flirts with Russia amid Ukraine invasion
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has steered Budapest closer to Moscow since stepping into power.
Eye on Ukraine: The Region in Context
Editors: Mané Berikyan, Ezi Ogbuli, Darcy Bond, Benjamin Blum
Contributors: Christine Almadjian, Mané Berikyan, Eva Hartman, Beatrix Heard, Giorgi Inishvili, Sangeeta Kishore, Kira Liljegren, Martin Makaryan, Liam Rinehart