The coming cycle is well worth our attention, not because of the results but because of the political, social and economic contexts in which these elections are going to take place. This cycle is quite different from the three preceding ones, in 2000, 2004 and 2008. And therefore, what might happen after the election could be quite different as well.

An August 17 bombing in Ingushetia highlighted a particularly violent summer in Russia's North Caucasus. But neither foreign terrorists nor poor law enforcement deserve the lion's share of the blame for the poor security situation in the region.

Russia, the Ukraine, and the European Union all have work to do in finding a long-term solution to Europe's energy needs.

In order to regain its lost ground, the United States needs to offer Georgia more than words.

The relationship between Russia and its Muslim subjects is more complex than recent violence suggests.

A popular neo-Soviet youth movement in Russia presages tough times for the bilateral relationship.

Frederick W. Kagan continues his frequent reports on the unfolding situation in the Caucasus.

On December 27, 2010, businessmen and entrepreneurs Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev received the maximum sentence, fourteen years, on patently fabricated charges. What is the impact of the sentencing on the Russian economy and foreign investments? How will the democratic opposition proceed in this political climate? And how should US policymakers deal with this new reality?