Russian influence over Moldova is nothing new, but today we’re witnessing a new phase of this process—where the stakes are no longer just the country’s strategic direction, but its very ability to resist hybrid influence from within. A look at Moldova’s current political landscape makes one thing clear: the Kremlin…

In our world, where people struggle daily for a better place under the sun—earning a living and climbing the social ladder—leisure time has become a luxury. And if one manages to save up for pleasure, they prefer to enjoy it quietly, far from the hustle and bustle. There’s a vast…

Corruption in Defense Equipment Procurement in the Czech Republic and Slovenia We dare to claim that nothing stimulates the development of the military-industrial complex and the arms trade (both sales and purchases) quite like the threat of an impending war. A vivid example of this can be observed today, as…

In today’s geopolitical chessboard, the Kremlin is investing less in tanks—and more in televisions, churches, and contraband. Moldova, a fragile democracy teetering between reform and destabilization, has become a testing ground for a new model of Russian influence. In this model, formal state institutions are gradually eroded, while an alternative…

When we think of the mafia, we often picture violent gangs engaged in drug smuggling, arms trafficking, illicit alcohol and tobacco trades, contract killings, prostitution rings, robberies, illegal gambling, car theft, and extortion. Yet this is only a fraction of the “specializations” pursued by mafia groups around the globe—each with…