Chain Reaction is the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s flagship network of podcast series examining the political, security, economic, and social trends shaping Europe and Eurasia. Throughout the year we are talking with experts about developments in Russia’s war in Ukraine, the new European security order, the past, present, and future of the Baltic States, Russia’s political economy, and great power competition in the region.

Join us each month for : The Continent,  Bear Market Brief,  Baltic Ways, Report in Short 

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Russia’s Election: It Ain’t Vova ’till it’s Vova

If we know how Russia’s presidential election is going to turn out… why even bother holding the election? Join Aaron Schwartzbaum, András Tóth-Czifra, and Olga Khvostunova for an exploration of electoral autocracy and the political moment. Explore more from...

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Russia’s Invasion Through Ukrainian Eyes

Amid the commentary on the war in Ukraine, the voices of those who live it every day are sometimes lost. In this episode of Chain Reaction, we hear from Sophia Opatska of Lviv, Hanna Shelest of Odessa, and Maksym...

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Has Russia Won the Sanctions War?

Despite Western economic policy, Russia has been able to continue its war against Ukraine, and even seen economic growth. Join as we kick off our season with Nick Trickett and Iikka Korhonen investigating what’s driving Russia’s economy these days,...

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Dark Days Ahead in Ukraine?

As the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine approaches, the optimism that reigned a year ago has largely faded. The failure of Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive and the uncertainty of future US assistance seem to augur tough times...

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Report in Short: A “Frozen Conflict” Boils Over

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijani forces initiated a massive attack on Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian-populated and effectively self-governing region inside internationally recognized Azerbaijani territory. Within 24 hours, the Nagorno-Karabakh leadership gave in, and, for the first time, Baku could claim...

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Out of the Shadows and Into the Sun: The (Re)-Emergence of Central Asia

From the “Great Game” of the 19th century to the NATO war in Afghanistan, Central Asia has periodically been at the center of geopolitics. But more often, it has faded into the geopolitical shadows, as other regions and other...

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Report in Short: Russian Military Drones

Since 2009, Russia has invested significant effort into developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, for military purposes. However, after a year of war in Ukraine, the Russian military has lost the biggest part of its tactical reconnaissance and...

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Why Do Autocrats Make Mistakes?

Almost two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Bear Market Brief investigates how we got here in the first place. What does theory say about Vladimir Putin’s decision making? Seva Gunitsky joins to discuss. Explore more from the Bear Market...

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Wagner Group: Where Are They Now?

It’s been just over five months since the Wagner Group’s insurrection against the Russian government and three months since the group’s leader was killed in a plane crash, almost certainly orchestrated by the Kremlin. But the Wagner Group has...

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KZ Right Now: Kazakhstan’s Politics in a Changing Global Order

The Continent takes a (slight) detour to learn how trends over in Eurasia compare with what we’re seeing in Europe. The complicated neighbor is the same; what about the domestic and geopolitical landscape? Temur Umarov offers insights on the...

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