#RUSIcommentary

The Strategic Defence Review and the Challenge of Turning Ambition into Action The Strategic Defence Review is clear the UK is not ready for modern warfare and sets an ambitious plan to reform UK Defence. Questions of affordability aside, a lack of hard targets leaves the MOD work to do. Scrutiny and clarity are needed for success.

'Ambiguity is a Threat to the Implementation of the [Strategic Defence] Review'.

Revisit @mtsavill.bsky.social's #RUSICommentary on the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) ahead of Lord George Robertson's speech, former Secretary General of NATO and one of the authors of the SDR later today.

Europe's AML Package: A Strong Framework at the Wrong Time? The EU's new super-supervisor is coming to life, but will it enable or restrict the future of the EU's financial services industry?

'Ultimately, the EU AML Package may prove to be a well-intentioned reform that arrives at the wrong moment, risking slowing innovation when Europe can least afford it' writes Kinga Redlowska in the latest #RUSICommentary.

Over 11,000 munitions in 16 Days of the Iran War: ‘Command of the Reload’ Governs Endurance Significant numbers of advanced munitions have been expended, revealing that battlefield dominance matters less than the industrial capacity to replenish critical stockpiles.

@rusi.bsky.social: 'Our analysis shows that the coalition can continue fighting Iran, but with increased risk to forces in-theatre. The bigger risk, however, is what continued fighting against Iran does to deterrence and defence elsewhere.' #RUSICommentary.

Read the Commentary: bit.ly/4rVW2sm

Gulf War III is a Warning About the Effects of a ‘Taiwan Straits War I' Ripples of economic disruption radiating from the attack on Iran by Israel and the US give notice of the effect a war over Taiwan would spread through the world.

'Pretending that a Taiwan crisis would be anyone’s ‘internal matter’ is as absurd and irresponsible as claiming the current Gulf conflict is of concern to the direct belligerents alone' writes Dr Philip @shelter-jones.bsky.social in the latest #RUSICommentary.

Iraq's Top Shia Cleric Denounces the War Against Iran, But Implies Moderation Sistani has issued a layered statement addressing the war against Iran.

'By addressing an ongoing regional war, Najaf signals that the conflict carries consequences that extend well beyond the immediate battlefield.' writes Alabbas F. Alsudani in the latest #RUSICommentary.

Fog, Proxies and Uncertainty: Cyber in US-Israeli Operations in Iran As Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion develop, several dimensions of cyber activity demand attention and careful qualification.

'uncertainty remains over when and how Iranian cyber activity could expand to directly target the US homeland and its allies, although many are already on alert.’

Writes @lmhurel.bsky.social in the latest #RUSICommentary.

In this thread, we’re revisiting past #RUSICommentary articles exploring how Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is reshaping European security, transatlantic relations and the future of the rules-based international order.

👇 A selection of articles examining what’s at stake.

Military Equipment Lessons

In this thread, we revisit past #RUSICommentary articles, examining how evolving missile tech, uncrewed systems and naval operations are reshaping modern warfare.

👇 A selection of articles.

Uganda: Idi Amin 2.0 Loading Uganda's leadership is drifting into another authoritarian spiral.

Uganda’s leadership is drifting into another authoritarian spiral. Read the latest #RUSICommentary from Dr Greg Mills and Ray Hartley.
www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/pub...

Guns, Goods and Governance: Illicit Economies and the Foundations of Insurgent Rule Research across different geographies has increasingly reshaped how the relationship between militancy, criminality and legitimacy is understood, with important implications for conflict prevention and peace-making.

Research across different geographies has increasingly reshaped how the relationship between militancy, criminality and legitimacy is understood, with important implications for conflict prevention and peace-making.

Read the latest #RUSICommentary.

Tapped Out: It is Time to Revisit Oil Sanctions on Russia Despite the G7’s efforts, oil revenue is still filling the Kremlin’s coffers. A new approach to restricting Russian income is needed.

Is it time to revisit the design of oil sanctions on Russia?

In this latest #RUSIcommentary, @keatingetom.bsky.social argues that despite the G7’s efforts, oil revenue is still filling the Kremlin’s coffers and unintended consequences abound.

Read why a new approach is needed 👇

bit.ly/42XAYar

Trump’s Tariffs are Replacing Sanctions Trump’s shift to unilateral tariff enforcement weakens the international systems on which sanctions depend. Europe must lead in rebuilding credible enforcement.

📢President Trump’s shift to unilateral tariff enforcement weakens the international systems on which sanctions depend, argues Shilo Grayson in our latest #RUSIcommentary.

Read on below to find out why 👇👇👇

bit.ly/4cQoIwJ

Frozen Out: Why the UK Must Step Up in the Arctic The Arctic is set to be a proving ground for the navies of the High North. As warmer temperatures open up shipping routes for longer each year, great resources are at stake, and a determination to exe...

'If #Russia’s Northern Fleet were to tighten control over the #Greenland-Iceland-UK (GIUK) Gap, the Royal Navy would face a strategic chokepoint that could sever transatlantic supply lines' writes @Anthonyheron11 in the latest #RUSICommentary.

Typhoons in Cyberspace The transformation of China’s digital attack capabilities is the most important change in the cyber threat to the West in more than a decade, writes Ciaran Martin.

The latest #RUSICommentary by ciaranm.bsky.social explores the significant shift in China as a cyber threat actor, and outlines its new political, strategic and active footing in cyberspace which facilitates disruptive operations against Western critical infrastructure.

Two Years in NATO, Finland is Searching for a Plan B Just two years after joining NATO and forging an alliance with the United States, Finland finds itself compelled to consider alternative plans to ensure its security.

'Ukraine's experience demonstrates that Finland can only successfully deter Russia with external support' write @pesumatti.bsky.social and Dr Tomas Wallenius in the latest #RUSICommentary.

Limits of Economic Deterrence in the US-China Tech Competition The maximalist US approach to deterring China's digital competition may not be served well by economic measures alone.

In the latest #RUSICommentary, @lmhurel.bsky.social and Rogier Creemers explore the limitations of using purely economic tools to counter China's growing influence in the digital sphere.

Leaving the ‘Post-Soviet’ Behind: Redefining Armenia’s Deterrence Strategy Armenia is redefining its security strategy, diversifying its alliances and boosting military capacity as shifting geopolitics expose the limits of Russian-backed guarantees.

In the latest #RUSICommentary, Anahide Pilibossian and Leonid Nersisyan reflect on how Armenia is redefining its security strategy, diversifying its alliances and boosting military capacity as shifting geopolitics expose the limits of Russian-backed guarantees. Read more here. bit.ly/3OZA4U5