I’m back from my travels. Regular updates should resume next week. In the meantime, I’ll be on the Midrats talk radio blog tomorrow (Sunday May 20) at 5pm to talk about Russian politics and security issues.
Here’s the description of the topics we will cover from their website:
The USSR may be gone … but Russia has not gone anywhere.
While the news seems to be all around Russia from the rise of China, the incredible success of the Baltic states, Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics, to the European edge of the “near abroad” – Russia continues to be a major player.
Is it still feeding off the corpse of the USSR, or is there a new dynamism and potential? If not a democracy in the Western sense and not Communist either – what is it?
Where does it see its role beyond a seller of weapons and energy? Is Putin just about Putin – or does he have a larger vision for Russia?
Why has Russia taken the position it has from Syria to Iran in the face of world opinion?
Russian Military Reform 
I’ve listened to your podcast with Cdr Salamander. Very interesting responses. Looking forward to your article on the Kuril islands.