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About Sergei Markedonov

Sergei Markedonov heads the Department of International Relations at the Institute of Political and Military Analysis, Moscow. He is now is a visiting fellow of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, USA.

Articles by Sergei Markedonov

Monday 30th May

A very Georgian disagreement

Sergei Markedonov, 30 May 2011

Post-Soviet Georgia is no stranger to drama or revolution, and after a short interregnum, the country once again finds itself in a febrile mood. Sergei Markedonov analyses the background to the present unrest.

Saturday 19th February

Yeltsin’s complicated legacy in the Caucasus

Sergei Markedonov, 19 February 2011

Boris Yeltsin inherited many problems which he had to try and address while at the same time establishing the new Russian state. Many of these problems were, and continue to be, in the North Caucasus. Yeltsin’s presidency should be judged in the round, asserts Sergei Markedonov, rather than from the vantage point of Putin’s ‘vertical’ Russia.

Monday 1st November

A strategy for North Caucasus: don’t mention politics or religion!

Sergei Markedonov, 1 November 2010

The recently published Russian government strategy paper for the North Caucasus chooses to focus solely on the socio-economic development of the region. The refusal to address key political or religious issues undermines the whole rationale for the document, laments Sergei Markedonov

Thursday 8th April

Charisma and complications: the legacy of Abkhazia’s founding father

Sergei Markedonov, 8 April 2010

With the death of Vladislav Ardzinba, Abkhazia’s first president, a period of post-Soviet upheaval passes further into history. Sergei Markedonov considers Ardzinba’s achievements in the wider context of the Caucasus

Wednesday 20th January

Post-Soviet integration: CST, CSTO, CRRF etc (2)

Sergei Markedonov, 20 January 2010

There have been many attempts at building new structures to replace the Soviet Union, since it fell 10 years ago. These have left the political landscape littered with acronyms: CST, CSTO, CRRF, SCO, EEC, SES, GUAM and GUUAM. In the second part of his article Sergei Markedonov reviews their success, failures and attendant complications.

Wednesday 13th January

Post-Soviet integration: does the CIS work?

Sergei Markedonov, 13 January 2010

2010 sees the 19th anniversary of the collapse of the USSR. In the first of this two-part review of the structures set up to replace it, Sergei Markedonov assesses the performance of the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS). He concludes that a complicating factor has been the lack of clarity surrounding the role of its dominant partner, Russia.

Friday 23rd October

Can Armenia and Turkey be reconciled?

Sergei Markedonov, 23 October 2009

Could historical enemies Armenia and Turkey be moving towards reconciliation? Despite the potential pitfalls, Turkey's acknowledgement of the 1915 "genocide" being the most serious, compromise could be achieved, says Sergei Markedonov

Tuesday 8th September

North Caucasus: united we stand, divided we fall!

Sergei Markedonov, 8 September 2009

Responding to oD Russia's recent article by Denis Corboy et al the distinguished Russian commentator Sergei Markedonov disagrees profoundly. Better to pay attention to the threat political Islam poses to our common values and come up with a joint strategy

Thursday 9th July

Russia – Belarus: an odd couple

Sergei Markedonov, 9 July 2009

Belarus' refusal to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia points its "marriage with Russia"

Monday 20th April

Squabbles over the post-Soviet space

Sergei Markedonov, 20 April 2009

Success in 'resetting' US-Russian relations will depend on realism about their future roles in the post-Soviet space

Monday 30th March

Azerbaijan: from bad to worse

Sergei Markedonov, 30 March 2009

A recent referendum has given Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliev almost unlimited power. The people's vote for stability makes an undemocratic situation even worse

Friday 20th February

Dagestan and the art of government

Sergei Markedonov, 20 February 2009

Look below the surface, a long way below, to understand how power works in Dagestan. Sergei Markedonov, leading commentator on Russia's Caucasian republics dissects a story that starts modestly enough, in a tax office.

Monday 2nd June