Russia & CIS

Given the amount of attention paid over the last year to the capabilities of the Russian military, it is worth considering how the evolving character of warfare over the next 10-20 years is likely to affect Russia’s military capabilities when compared to leading Western states.

The trend toward greater automation, including the use of remote control weapons and AI-driven autonomous warfare, will increasingly put the Russian military at a disadvantage. Russia does not have the technology to match Western automated systems and lacks the capabilities to develop such systems on its own in the foreseeable future. Russia’s defense industry is well behind Western militaries in automated control systems, strike drones, and advanced electronics of all kinds.

The Russian government has recognized these gaps and, until recently, was attempting to rectify them through cooperation with the Western defense industry. However, the freezing of military cooperation between NATO member states and Russia in the aftermath of the annexation of Crimea and the concurrent imposition of sanctions by most Western states will preclude the rapid acquisition of advanced military and dual-use technology by Russian defense firms for the foreseeable future. Financial constraints resulting from the budget crisis that has occurred because of the decline in oil prices will also hinder the development and deployment of weapons using new technologies.

As a result, Russia will have to look for alternative ways to counter Western automated technologies….

Originally published by The National Interest. Click here to read the rest of this article.

The problem of Donbass residents' legal status is quite serious. While Ukraine does not need these people, simplified procedure to get Russian citizenship will be put into effort.

The Mahachqala and Volgodonsk small artillery ships as well as the Anatoly Guzhvin small hydrographic vessel of the Russian Federation’s Caspian Fleet have arrived in Baku on an official visit.

Spokesman of Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev has commented on British Minister for Europe David Lidington`s statement on a verdict over Leyla and Arif Yunus. Hajiyev told AZERTAC:

Russia’s 35th humanitarian convoy for residents of Ukraine’s southeast has departed for the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

The Russian Emergencies Ministry has assembled 35th humanitarian aid convoy for Donbass.

Belarus has ordered new combat aircraft from Russia, according to the commander of Belarus' Air Force and Air Defense Forces.

Amid Western fears of the spread of dangerous "Russian propaganda," the US State Department is launching a disinformation campaign of its own in the Baltics. Funneling half a million dollars into “training” Russian-language journalists, the project is meant to follow the same schematics as billionaire George Soros’ ProPublica.

An ugly incident took place in a Nizhny Novgorod café when Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova's disabled sister was told "to leave" because she was "scaring" the café's clients, sparking outrage among Russian lawmakers and the Nizhny Novgorod public.

The decline of the Russian national currency in August has become an unpleasant surprise to both the leadership of the country and common people. Some experts believe that the ruble may soon hit the level of 70 rubles per dollar. August is traditionally a hard month for the financial market in general, and the Russian ruble is no exception

Russian Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky said that Russian Ministry of Culture supports the idea of liberalizing the visa regime for foreigners.

Istanbul municipality announced on Wednesday that it will hold a tender for two new metro lines on September.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says terrorism and extremism know no border, urging collective regional measures to fight the two phenomena.

The main referee of the International Army Games said that Russia has become the clear leader of the event.

Azerbaijani wrestlers have claimed 3 medals, including a gold one in the UWW Junior World Championships in Salvador, Brazil.

Armenians are reported to have committed arson on Thursday in the territory of the occupied village of Bash Qervend of Aghdam.

Turkish authorities are putting up a concrete wall along the country's border with Syria after the recent wave of terrorist attacks hitting the southern border regions.

Deputy Prime Minister made a statement.

The State Customs Service has disseminated information.

Germany`s Ambassador in Ankara Martin Erdmann has said that under the international law, Nagorno-Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan.