Hackers allegedly linked to Russian security services were reportedly behind attacks on the Ukrainian power grid that caused black outs in the capital region and throughout western Ukraine. According to officials that have analyzed samples of BlackEnergy, the code used in the attacks, control systems used to “coordinate remote substations were disabled” in the attack. A…
Following a series of protests stemming from the execution of a well-known Shiite cleric and critic of the Saudi Arabian government, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Sudan have cut diplomatic relations with Tehran and ordered its diplomats to leave their countries. The latest row between the preeminent Sunni and Shiite Muslim authorities is likely to portend…
Investment in hydroelectricity in Kyrgyzstan has come to a standstill and the government has announced that it is courting new investment partners. A new report published by The Diplomat and a recent government announcement indicate that the country will look beyond Russia, its traditional partner in hydroelectric development, for financing due to ambiguous signs coming…
Earlier this year we had the opportunity to speak to Dr. Sabit Khakimzhanov, the head of research at Halyk Finance, a leading Kazakh investment bank focused on Central Asia. Khakimzhanov is an authority on the Kazakh economy and investment climate, and has written and spoken widely on Kazakh monetary policy. Dr. Khakimzhanov has a Ph.D. in Applied Economics from…
Al Monitor recently published an interesting piece on brand integrity in Iran. The article focuses partially on misconceptions related to brand integrity and representation in Iran and partially on the possibilities inherent when and if existing commercial obstacles facing US companies are removed. A number of popular US businesses and fast food chains have been…
A report from earlier this month published by the Associated Press focused on the market for nuclear materials in Moldova. The report, compiled by investigators working in conjunction with Moldovan law enforcement agencies and the FBI, details a black market of nuclear materials available in Moldova. As has been documented in some detail here and…
The Kremlin announced that Russian “volunteer” forces could soon join forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on the battlefields of Syria. Russia has publicly supported the Assad regime for years and recently amplified its support for the regime through airstrikes purportedly directed at extremist militias in the county. The latest announcement augurs a potential…
A new report published by the World Bank predicts that capital outflow from Russia will ascend to $113 billion in 2015 and $82 billion in 2016. The report also lowered its forecast for the decline in Russian GDP in 2015 and 2016. The bank now believes that the Russian economy will retract by 3.8 percent…
Iran announced that it will issue $300 million in state treasury bills, an Iranian alternative to sovereign debt that is sharia-law compliant. The bills are being issued well below their market value for the time being and are seen as a means of gauging interest in the opening Iranian market. The Iranian government has previously…
We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Sebastien Peyrouse, Research Professor of International Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University. Dr. Peyrouse is an Associated Scholar with the Institute for International and Strategic Relations in Paris, France and has published widely on Central Asia, with an emphasis on Turkmenistan. He…
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