Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
The Russian Analytical Digest (RAD) analyzes recent events, trends and developments within contemporary Russian politics, economics and business, foreign policy, security and society. Each issue contains original academic and policy relevant research articles by authors from across the globe, and topical statistical data, graphics and opinion polls. The series is produced by a partner network that includes the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zürich, the Research Centre for East European Studies, the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) and the external page Center for Eastern European Studies (CEES) at the University of Zurich. The RAD is edited by external page Fabian Burkhardt, external page Vassily Klimentov, external page Matthias Neumann, external page Robert Orttung, external page Jeronim Perović, external page Heiko Pleines, and external page Hans-Henning Schröder.
The series is partnered with the German language publication Russland-Analysen, the Russian Regional Report, and the Caucasus Analytical Digest (CAD).
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Current Issues
No. 347: Artificial Intelligence, Technological Sovereignty, and Internet Control
This issue explores Russia's strategies regarding artificial intelligence and internet control amid its ongoing war with Ukraine. Anna Ryzhova explores how Russia pursues external normative leadership in global AI governance while restricting foreign language models within its borders. Anna Nadibaidze analyzes Russia’s military AI capabilities, emphasizing the conflict between striving for technological independence and dependence on foreign hardware. Finally, an anonymous author examines the widespread shutdown of mobile internet and its limited political impact on the 2026 Duma election.
No. 346: Religion and Politics
This issue examines the growing role of the Russian Orthodox Church and religious discourse in contemporary Russia. The first contribution by Alexander Ponomariov explores the sacralization of war in Russian public discourse since 2022, tracing the convergence of Orthodox theological language and state-security narratives in legitimizing and mobilizing support for the war in Ukraine. The second contribution by Daria Khokhlova turns to schools, analyzing the Church’s place in Russia’s evolving history curriculum and the tensions between memories of Soviet anti-religious persecution and increasingly positive portrayals of the Soviet state.