From Grozny to Mariupol: The Chechen Wars & the Future of the North Caucasus (Experts speaker series)

#Connexions in collaboration with the Strauss Center for International Security and Law will be hosting Dr. Michael Dennis, Strauss Center Faculty Fellow and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Affairs, as he lays the historical groundwork for geo-political tensions in Eastern Europe and Eurasia, with a specific focus on the North Caucasus. Other co-sponsors include: the Center for Russian, East European, & Eurasian Studies, the College of Liberal Arts, the Global Disinformation Lab, the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and the Department of International Relations and Global Studies.

This discussion will be centered around Dr. Dennis’s experiences with Chechnya, helping to lay some historical groundwork. Then some of the consequences of the Chechen Wars will be broached: the rise of the Kadyrov family, lessons learned by the Russian Army, impacts on the Putin regime’s decision-making in crises, and Chechnya’s role in Ukraine. Finally, Dr. Dennis will answer questions about the future of the North…