It is common knowledge that the August 2008 conflict erupted in response to the ongoing dispute between Russian Federation and Republic of Georgia. Still without being aware of the fundamental elements of Georgia's unresolved embroilment with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, it would be impossible to understand the recent conflict, its implications and future developments in the South Caucasus. Read more

It is assumed that formally recognized or not, a state is a legitimate political authority if it fulfils some basic principles. Read more

The recent upturn in terrorist attacks in the Northern Caucasus region has shown how fragile the relative stability has been. Although the attacks are small in scale, their frequency has caused concern in Moscow to a great extent. Read more

Doubtlessly, the Georgian-Russian crisis last August will be remembered not for the civil losses it inflicted or the demolition caused by the militaries of both sides, but rather the long shadow it will cast on the political legacy of the tie-chewing Georgian President, Mikheil Saakashvili. Read more

The Russian Orthodox Church is known as the biggest Autocephalous Church in the world. Thus, when its Patriarch, Aleksy II died on December 5, 2008 at the historical Danilov Monastery in Moscow, about 135 million followers of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) held their breath until the announcement of the new Patriarch. Read more