(PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo) Russia’s response to the current pandemic highlights its aspirations to become a world leader in facial recognition and artificial intelligence (AI). The adoption of self-isolation and digital pass regimes provides opportunities to showcase the country’s growing network...

(OpenDemocracy) The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a new front in great power competition — global health posturing. Whether it is assigning blame, providing medical aid, or modelling the most effective response, great powers are waging an information war against each other. China is aggressively...

(TOL) Amid the pandemic, Russia, China, and others find time to debate the timing of the beginning and end of World War II and other details of years long past.  The “memory wars” over World War II show no sign of abating. This month saw new developments in Moscow, Beijing, and Prague. Different...

(FT) A row over censorship has plunged Russia’s top business newspaper into a crisis that could either see it fall under the Kremlin’s control or torpedo a deal to sell it, leaving it on the verge of bankruptcy. Staff at Vedomosti are in open revolt against new acting editor...  A few days later,...