Leader: Leonid Roshal
Geopolitical analyses and chronicles addressing the decisions, influence, and historical impact of Leonid Roshal.
Published Chronicles & Analyses
The INF Treaty of 1987: Eliminating an Entire Class of Nuclear Weapons
The signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in Washington marked a revolutionary moment in arms control, as the first agreement for the actual reduction and destruction of an entire class of existing nuclear weapon systems between the United States and the Soviet Union, fundamentally reshaping the late Cold War geopolitical landscape.
The Rise of Mikhail Gorbachev in 1985: Launching Glasnost and Perestroika
The election of the youngest General Secretary in Soviet history, his attempts to reform the rigid Soviet system, and the unexpected path to dissolution.
The Shooting Down of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 in 1983: Cold War Panic
The Soviet interception and shootdown of a civilian airliner in Soviet airspace, causing a dramatic escalation in superpower nuclear tensions.
The Assassination Attempt on Ronald Reagan and the Rise of Neoconservatism
How the survived 1981 assassination attempt cemented Ronald Reagan's authority and launched a more aggressive stance against the 'Evil Empire'.
The Death of Tito in 1980: The Beginning of the End for Yugoslavia
The passing of Yugoslavia's lifetime president, the end of the Non-Aligned golden era, and the beginning of the economic and political collapse.
The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in 1979: Entering the Soviet Vietnam
The entry of Soviet troops to support a communist regime, the US arming of the Mujahideen, and the beginning of a decade-long war.
The Yom Kippur War of 1973: Oil Embargo and Superpower Confrontation
The surprise attack on Israel on Yom Kippur, the threat of superpower escalation, and the Arab oil embargo that paralyzed Western economies.
Nixon's Visit to China in 1972: The Birth of Triangular Diplomacy
How Richard Nixon's visit to Beijing shocked the world, isolated the Soviet Union, and laid the foundations for modern US-China relations.
The Sino-Soviet Border Conflict of 1969: Clashes on the Ussuri River
The peak of Sino-Soviet tensions: an armed border conflict on Zhenbao Island that almost led to a full-scale war between the two nuclear giants.
The Prague Spring of 1968: The Warsaw Pact Invasion of Czechoslovakia
The attempts to reform socialism ('socialism with a human face') in Czechoslovakia and Moscow's brutal response by sending Warsaw Pact troops.
The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962: Thirteen Days on the Brink of Apocalypse
How Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba brought the world to the edge of nuclear war and how secret diplomacy saved humanity.
The Beslan School Siege of 2004: Chechen Terror and the Hostage Tragedy
The seizure of a school in North Ossetia by Chechen militants marked a harrowing peak in post-Soviet terror, culminating in a tragic rescue operation that left over 330 dead, including 186 children. This expanded analysis delves into the deep historical roots of the conflict, the intelligence failures, the devastating human cost, and the profound geopolitical and domestic transformations in Russia that followed.
The Orange Revolution in Ukraine 2004: Kyiv's First Stand Against Election Rigging
Mass protests at Kyiv's Maidan following fraudulent election results, the poisoning of Yushchenko, and the court-ordered revote.
The Dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991: End of the Red Empire
The August coup attempt by hardliners in Moscow, the rise of Boris Yeltsin, the Belovezha Accords, and the lowering of the Soviet flag on Christmas Day.