Despite the vast amount of scholarly attention, the issue of decapitation has enjoyed, research on decapitation has primarily focused on US and Israeli cases. Nonetheless, decapitation as a...Show moreDespite the vast amount of scholarly attention, the issue of decapitation has enjoyed, research on decapitation has primarily focused on US and Israeli cases. Nonetheless, decapitation as a counterterrorism measure used by the Russian authorities, has been surprisingly under-researched. Hence, this paper aspires to contribute to the academic debate by filling this under-researched gap. Further building onto Morehouse’s work (2014), this paper presents an analysis of the impact of Russian decapitation efforts on the operational effectiveness of Chechen rebel groups for the period between 1995 and 2014. Central themes this study is concerned with involve the question of whether or not decapitation efforts have significantly and consistently reduced the number of casualties and subsequent attacks. This paper found that seen over the whole period of research, the number of casualties and the frequency of the attacks did decrease. Nevertheless, this decrease was accompanied by peaks and throughs, and, therefore, these decreases were not consistent.Show less
This thesis explores the phenomena of cronyism in the Russian Federation. The structure of the thesis is the following: Introduction which defines the goals and objectives of the paper; Literature...Show moreThis thesis explores the phenomena of cronyism in the Russian Federation. The structure of the thesis is the following: Introduction which defines the goals and objectives of the paper; Literature Review which reviews existent scholarly articles on cronyism and cronyism in Russia; Three chapters that examine one of the prominent Russian billionaires, his connections to high ranked government officials and his alleged involvement in cronyistic exchanges; Conclusion with outlined findings and connection to the wider challenges that the world is facing. With the use of the existent theoretical framework on cronyism and triangulation of the available journalistic material, this thesis concludes that it is highly likely that cronyistic exchanges take place in Russia at the highest levels of the executive and legislative branches of the government. Coming to this conclusion is important because it reveals that the actions of the Russian government might not always be motivated by national interests but rather by the interests of certain individuals.Show less
This research examines whether Russia would rather conduct an offensive or a defensive military action in the Baltic states. In order to examine this, the research employs a combined AHP-SWOT...Show moreThis research examines whether Russia would rather conduct an offensive or a defensive military action in the Baltic states. In order to examine this, the research employs a combined AHP-SWOT analysis. This analysis examines Russia's military capabilities, the operational environment in the Baltic states and the combination of the two.Show less
This analysis seeks to find out whether state support measures have resulted in increased inequality in the Russian agricultural sector in the last 10 years. Based on firm-level data, several...Show moreThis analysis seeks to find out whether state support measures have resulted in increased inequality in the Russian agricultural sector in the last 10 years. Based on firm-level data, several measures of inequality are constructed in section 4. All measures point to an increase in industry concentration, particularly in the livestock subsector. Several factors which may offer possible explanations for this increase are presented in section 3: stakeholders have a preference for larger farms, transaction costs for land and markets were higher for smaller farmers, and agricultural support measures give more support to larger farms. Lastly, the top 5 agroholdings in Russia were described. These holdings had particular advantages: special access to regular state support, excellent access to capital, and alternative state support in quasi-legal ways.Show less
At the turn of this millennium Russia stood before the behemoth task of rising from the ashes left behind by the chaotic 90's. Russia's seemingly endless natural resources and an accompanying rise...Show moreAt the turn of this millennium Russia stood before the behemoth task of rising from the ashes left behind by the chaotic 90's. Russia's seemingly endless natural resources and an accompanying rise in oil prices only go so far in its development. However, to gain relevance on the world stage beyond the constant military flexing and being an energy appendage to the upper echelon industrialised countries, it needs to produce marketable technologies and secure a spot among the greatest economies. At the end of the first decade a new paradigm in the way we transact information found prominence in the minds of the tech savvy, which turned into the explosive development of the Blockchain technology. This potentially revolutionary new technology has the characteristics to alter the social fabric in which old power structures become obsolete, but at the same time provide a golden opportunity for the relative young and unbound Russian IT sector to thrive and leave a global mark. The new generation technocrats plead for full scale adoption, regulation and development of this technology, but their older and politically more powerful Soviet rooted counter parts plead against the dangers of this shift in dynamics. In this work I looked at what the blockchain technology means for Russia and how the Russian authorities took a stance in adapting the technology.Show less
