Publications

Last update: 25 February 2026

Research reports at think-tanks

Klyszcz, I. (2025), “Russia and the Red Sea since 2022: The Wartime Engagements of an Aspiring Major Power“, Report, ICDS.

Klyszcz, I. & Kohv, M. (2025), “Confronting the Russian Hydra: Continuity and Innovation in the Grey Zone“, Report, ICDS.

Klyszcz, I. U. (editor), Sherr, J., Lee, C. (2024), “China’s and Russia’s Aggressive Foreign Policies: Historical Legacy or Geopolitical Ambitions?“, Report, ICDS.

Klyszcz, I. U. (2024), “Russia and Africa’s Middle Powers: Influence beyond the Wagner Group“, Guest Report no. 1 2024, SCEEUS.

Klyszcz, I. U. (2023), “How Russia brings its war against Ukraine to the Global South”, Report, ICDS.

Klyszcz, I. U. (2022), “Russia’s Federal Subjects at War: Background and Implications”, Report, ICDS.

Klyszcz, I. (2021), “Russia and the Taliban Takeover”, Recherches et Documents 17, Fondation de la Recherche Stratégique.

Klyszcz, I. (2019), “Russia’s Central America Engagements”, Russian Foreign Policy Papers, Foreign Policy Research Institute.

Articles in policy-oriented publications

“The multi-aligned Sahel: Reframing the EU’s role in a crowded region“, EUISS Policy Brief 28, November 2025 (with Rossella Marangio, EUISS).

“Russia’s Self-Serving Aid Policy: Influence, Opacity, and Propaganda“, ICDS Policy Brief, 6 March 2025.

“Despite Everything: How and Why Russia Remains an Actor in the Horn of Africa“, PONARS Eurasia policy memo no. 916, 4 November 2024.

“Rossotrudnichestvo in Africa: Propaganda and Soft Power“, EUvsDisinfo, 22 October 2024.

“The BRICS Puzzle: What is it at Stake for the Club and for the West?“, ICDS Commentary, 21 October 2024.

“Shadow War: What Estonia and Poland Tell Us About Russia’s Clandestine Operations in Europe“, CSDS Policy Brief 20/2024.

“Russia’s Spiritual Expansion in the Global South“, Russia Program, 27 May 2024.

“Le lobby « russo-africain » après Prigojine“, Le Rubicon, 8 May 2024 (written in French).

“Russia’s Changing Latin America Strategy“, PONARS Eurasia policy memo 875, 5 February 2024.

“Venezuela’s Guyana intentions“, IPS Journal, 8 December 2023.

“Peeking behind the curtain of Russia’s Africa agenda”, IPS Journal, 4 August 2023.

“Quel rôle pour les services de renseignement russes en Afrique ?”, Le Rubicon, 2 June 2023 (written in French).

“Ukraine is not powerless in the Middle East“, ICDS Commentary, 4 April 2023.

“It is not about ‘neutrality’: How the Global South responds to Russia’s invasion”, Heinrich Boell Foundation, 30 January 2023.

“The New Boyars? How Russia’s Governors Facilitate Mobilisation“, RUSI, 7 December 2022.

“Prepare for Russia’s Coming Retrenchment”, PONARS Eurasia policy memo, no. 812. 20 November 2022.

‘Kadyrov’s Ukraine Gamble‘ (with Harold Chambers), Foreign Policy Research Institute, 28 March 2022.

‘Russia Defines Its Post-Takeover Role in the Afghan Conflict’, RUSI, 2 September 2021.

‘Reframing Russia’s Afghanistan Policy’, The Oxus Society, 29 July 2021. Also featured in FPRI and Russia Matters.

“Why Russia sticks with Venezuela“, Foreign Policy Research Institute, 23 January 2019.

Peer-reviewed articles at academic journals and book chapters

Kłyszcz, I. U. (2025), “Chapter 11 The Limits of ‘Russian IR’“, in Kurnyshova, Y., & Makarychev, A. (eds.), Studying Russia and its Wars: Academic Stocktaking in Times of Insecurity, Brill.

Kłyszcz, I. U. (2023), “Gorno-Badakhshan and Karakalpakstan since 1991: understanding territorial autonomy in Central Asia”, Central Asian Survey, 42:3, 500-517, doi: 10.1080/02634937.2023.2233557.

Klyszcz, I. (2022), “Chechnya’s Paradiplomacy 2000–2020: The Emergence and Evolution of External Relations of a Reincorporated Territory”, Nationalities Papers, 1-17. doi:10.1017/nps.2022.8 full open access.

Arteev, S. & Kentros Klyszcz, I. (2022), “The Evolution of Russian Paradiplomacy (1991-2021)”, Problems of Post-Communism.

Kentros, I. (2019), “Normative dependency and use of force: the declarative dimension of Russia’s military operations”, St. Anthony’s Review of International Affairs, 14:2, 102-119.

Non-peer reviewed academic writing

Kłyszcz, Ivan U. (2024), “Asymmetry by Design: Deciphering Karakalpakstan’s Autonomous Status”. In Autonomy Arrangements in the World. DOI: https://doi.org/10.57749/d527-0d88.

Kentros Klyszcz, I. U. (2023), “Territorialisation, Patronage and Meddling: How Does Great Power Competition Impact Territorial Autonomy?”, Journal of Autonomy and Security Studies, 7(1), 61–71.

Klyszcz, I. (2022), “Between Autonomy and National Integration – Is the Final Crisis of Karakalpakstan Ahead?”, Zentralasien-Analysen, 154, 2-7 (translated into German).

Book reviews

Klyszcz, I. (2022), “Islam in Post-Communist Eastern Europe. Between Churchification and Securitization”. Europe-Asia Studies, 74:1, 174-176.

Klyszcz, I. (2019). “Islam in Central Asia and the Caucasus Since the Fall of the Soviet Union”. Europe-Asia Studies, 71:9, 1612-1613.

Short analyses and op-eds (selected)

“The Fall of Maduro: How Russia Lost an Ally but Gained a Like-Minded Thinker“, Riddle, 5 January 2026.

“Russkiy Mir, Putin & The Ghost Of The Soviet Elite“, Times of India, 5 December 2025.

“Will Europe’s response to Trump work? A look at defence procurement and intelligence“, Defence24.com, 6 November 2025.

“The Russia-Mali-Algeria Security Triangle“, Riddle, 5 May 2025 (re-published in French at Atlantico here).

“Russia’s global war, north and south“, Riddle, 6 January 2025.

“Russia Is Holding Back Other BRICS Members“, The Moscow Times, 28 October 2024.

“Russia’s Africa People“, Riddle, 28 June 2024.

“We must brace for more Russian meddling“, Politico Europe, 12 April 2024.

“The Myanmar Junta Is Losing Its Foreign Backers“, The Diplomat, 27 January 2024.

“Partnerschaft gegen die Weltordnung“, Internationale Politik, 2 January 2024 (translated into German).

“Putin’s reactionary overdrive”, Riddle, 17 September 2023.

“Russia and the Taliban: one year since the takeover“, Riddle, 26 August 2023.

“Messianic multipolarity: Russia’s resurrected Africa doctrine“, Riddle, 6 April 2023.

“Russia’s Intelligence Agencies in the Global South: the Case of Venezuela“, Riddle, 9 January 2023.

“Russia’s governors should be sanctioned too“, Politico Europe, 27 October 2022.

“Ivan U. Klyszcz: Kasahstani ja Moskva vahel käärib. Aga kui tõsiselt?”, Eesti Paevaleht, 30 June 2022 (translated into Estonian). In print, pages A2-A3.

‘What is happening in Ukraine’s newly occupied territories?‘, Riddle, 1 April 2022.

‘Don’t Underestimate Tajikistan in the Afghanistan Crisis’, The Diplomat, 2 September 2021.

‘The Taliban Has Reached Kabul. Why Is Moscow So Calm?’, Riddle, 16 August 2021.

‘Russia’s Thwarted Return to the Red Sea’,  Orient XXI,  10 November 2020. Also translated into Arabic and French.

‘The Unconquerable Batalkhadzhintsy Brotherhood’,  Riddle, 22 September 2020. Also translated into Russian.