Authoritarian powers are challenging the democratic world on every front, using military force, economic coercion, disinformation, and subversion to expand their influence and weaken open societies. Russia and China lead this effort, joined by partners such as Iran and North Korea, in an authoritarian alignment that spans hard security, technology, and the global economy. This hub is the gateway to analysis of the authoritarian threat: Russian aggression and hybrid tactics, Chinese influence over trade and technology, energy coercion, and the campaigns aimed at eroding trust in democratic institutions. Fellows and analysts assess how Russian aggression and Chinese influence reinforce this authoritarian alignment, where these regimes are vulnerable, and how the transatlantic community can push back. Explore analysis and commentary across the threats that authoritarian states pose to Europe and North America.
Authoritarian Threats
Russia’s abuse of civilians in occupied Ukraine is in the news, but it’s far more widespread than realized.
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October 1, 2026
Russia: A Menu of Death in Ukraine’s Small Towns
Russia’s abuse of civilians in occupied Ukraine is in the news, but it’s far more widespread than realized.
September 30, 2026
Russia’s Rage Fixes on the British
Russia’s increasingly fiery rhetoric over British support for Ukraine is about more than war damage. The Kremlin sees the UK as a Western first mover inspiring other European states.
September 30, 2026
FSB Focuses Crosshairs on Russian Exiles
The Kremlin’s campaign to harass, intimidate, and murder opponents takes another major step back to the days of Stalin.
September 30, 2026
Kyiv: When Night Phantoms Arrive in Daytime
For years, air attacks in Kyiv came mostly came at night. That has changed and daily life has changed with it.
September 28, 2026
Russia’s 2027 Budget: Guns Now, Pay Later
Moscow's new budget funds another year of war by squeezing everything else, and even that plan is unlikely to survive contact with reality.
September 28, 2026
The Russia-North Korea Partnership: Transactional Only
Ties between the two countries are based on self-interest. That opens a small window of opportunity for Ukraine and its allies.
September 25, 2026
How to Fight Putin’s War on Reality
If the West wants change in Moscow, it needs to stop undermining Russia’s opposition media as it reports the truth about the Kremlin’s disastrous war.
September 24, 2026
Dispersal: Saving Ukraine From Russia’s Winter Blitz
Russia plans to freeze Ukraine into submission this winter. There are ways to thwart it and protect the population.
September 22, 2026
Narrative Failure: Russia and the West have a Storytelling Problem
Persuasion is most effective when there’s a compelling story, but after four and a half years of full-scale war, neither Moscow nor the West has produced a clear narrative of the conflict or how it might end.