Thank you to everyone who tuned in to our latest episode of Pax Americana!
Julie Roginsky and I delved into some of the biggest Russia-related developments this week and how they intersect with the U.S. and Europe. If you missed it, here’s a recap of what we covered:
* Armenia: For nearly a year, Russia ran multi-faceted operations against Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, fusing disinformation, political pressure, economic coercion, and influence operations to remove him from power. Despite these efforts, Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party won nearly 50% of the vote, defeating the Kremlin-backed opposition alliance.
* Ukraine has successfully been targeting the land corridor connecting Russia to illegally occupied Crimea and southern Ukraine, striking logistics routes, fuel supplies, military convoys, and infrastructure along the Mariupol–Melitopol highway. Recent attacks have also destroyed the Chonhar Bridge, one of the key links connecting occupied Crimea to mainland Ukraine.
Read More: Kyiv Independent
* Russian-installed authorities in Crimea have introduced fuel rationing measures as Ukrainian strikes continue targeting oil facilities, pumping stations, supply routes, and infrastructure. Reports describe limits on fuel purchases and disruptions to supply chains.
Read More: Reuters
* Despite heavy losses in Ukraine, Russia is expanding military bases, barracks, equipment storage facilities, and ammunition depots near the borders of Finland, Norway, and Baltics. A joint Nordic-Baltic investigation found the buildup could increase Russian troop levels in the region from roughly 20,000 to as many as 80,000–115,000, fueling concerns among Western intelligence officials that Moscow is preparing for a longer-term confrontation with NATO.
* In the same week that Russia’s State Duma approved legislation creating a registry of every mobile phone operating in the country, news emerged that the Federal Communications Commission is advancing proposals that could make owning burner phones significantly more difficult in the United States.
* In the Moscow region, a car bomb killed Lt. General Damir Davydov, a Russian official responsible for heavy ammunition programs. Another bomb was reportedly discovered and defused in Moscow.
Read More: The Guardian
* Leaked Paradise Papers documents show that Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, a Trump intel advisor, served as president of an offshore company owned by her father while helping pursue payments from Renaissance Capital, a Kremlin investment bank staffed by Russian intelligence officers.
Read More: ICIJ
Each week on Pax Americana, we expose Russia’s playbook and its dangerous intersections with U.S. politics. We break down:
* Updates on Russia’s genocidal war in Ukraine
* Russia’s latest news and moves
* The latest on Moscow’s hybrid warfare tactics in the U.S. and Europe
* Sanctions, corruption, and Kremlin networks
* Disinformation and malign influence operations
* Tactics that Trump is using in the U.S. mirroring Russia’s system—politicizing law enforcement; attacking the press, universities, protesters, and opposition— and turning institutions into tools to consolidate power
