Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS)

Institute for National Strategic Studies

The premier institute of strategic research at National Defense University
Institute for National Strategic Studies

The premier institute of strategic research at National Defense University
Institute for National Strategic Studies

The premier institute of strategic research at National Defense University
Institute for National Strategic Studies

The premier institute of strategic research at National Defense University

Vladimir Putin meets in the Kremlin with the leaders of the
Federation Council, the State Duma, and dedicated committees of both chambers, December 25, 2018. (President of Russia Web site/Kremlin.ru)

The National Bureau of Asian Research | Sept. 5, 2023

Constructing Russia's Strategic Space: Empire, Identity, and Geopolitics

Jeffrey Mankoff

The war in Ukraine may be Russia’s most blatant attempt to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a neighboring state, but it is in keeping with a long history of Russian attempts to dominate its smaller neighbors.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and General Valery Gerasimov
observe actions of troops of Russia and Belarus at main stage of Zapad 2017 joint strategic exercises at Luzhsky training ground in Leningrad Region, September 2017 (President of Russia)

Foreign Policy | Aug. 22, 2023

Next Door to Ukraine, Moscow’s Grip is Tightening

Jeffrey Mankoff

In Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova, the Kremlin is waging a quiet war to consolidate its hegemony.

A rocket launches through the sky at night.

NDU Press | July 11, 2023

Joint Force Quarterly 110

Joint Force Quarterly 110 (3rd Quarter, July 2023)

Two soldiers sit and one soldier stands while watching a sunrise.

| July 11, 2023

Proxy Wars and Strategic Competition

Frank G. Hoffman and Andrew Orner

This chapter of the Routledge Handbook of Proxy Wars (Eds. Assaf Moghadam, Vladimir Rauta, Michael Wyss) explores the character of proxy wars through the lens of great power competition, where conventional warfare remains a major concern given its potentially catastrophic consequences.

An MQ-9 Reaper sits on the runway during sunset

Lawfare | June 26, 2023

Counterterrorism Jenga

Kim Cragin

Editor’s Note: As the United States focuses on China and Russia and moves away from the Middle East, its ability to strike at terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State is in question. National Defense University’s Kim Cragin examines the Biden administration’s “over-the-horizon” approach and argues that its foundations are increasingly shaky.

The Type 001A aircraft carrier, launched on April 26, 2017 in Dalian, China, is an improved variant of the Soviet designed Kuznetsov class.

Naval War College Review | May 17, 2023

Selective Engagements - Chinese Naval Diplomacy and U.S.-China Competition

Joel Wuthnow and Margaret Baughman

China's navy is the most active People's Liberation Army service in military diplomacy, but how does it choose its partners? In a new Naval War College Review article, Margaret Baughman and Joel Wuthnow address this through new and updated data and multivariate regression analysis.

Multinational force standards allow NATO troops to apply firepower at the precise moment needed at Adazi Military Base, Latvia, June 18, 2016. Exercise Saber Strike 16 was an exercise with more than 10,000 service members from the U.S. and 12 NATO partner nations.

Atlantic Council: Issue Brief | April 5, 2023

Game-changers: Implications of the Russo-Ukraine War for the Future of Ground Warfare

T.X. Hammes

What does the record of combat in the year since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine herald about the future character of ground war?

Two ships transit a body of water under a sunlit sky.

CSIS | Feb. 2, 2023

The Inhospitable Sea: Toward a New U.S. Strategy for the Black Sea Region

Lisa Aronsson and Jeffrey Mankoff

The Black Sea region (BSR) has become a central fault line in the strategic competition between Russia and the West. The war in Ukraine is forcing the United States and NATO to devote more attention to the region, one which NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg recognized has “vital strategic importance” to the alliance.