ZVENIGOROD. JUNE 26, 2024. PIR PRESS. «This handbook is a unique analytical endeavor coming out at a remarkable time. On the one hand, the Western part of the world is hell-bent on demonizing or keeping quiet about Russia’s foreign, defense, and security policies, trying to portray it as the bête noire of international relations and silencing the voices of impartial Russian experts in the worst traditions of suppressing dissent. On the other hand, ironically, the demand for informed discussions of international security issues related to Russia and its policies runs as high as ever. People in the West, and particularly across the large non-Western communities that make up the Global Majority, are keen to understand Russia’s line of reasoning, its interests and perception of security», – Dr. Vladimir Orlov, Editor-in-Chief of the Security Index Yearbook, PIR Center Founding Director, Professor at MGIMO University, notes in the Introduction to the Security Index Yearbook.
The Security Index Yearbook, with its 576 pages, consists of eight Parts and 29 Chapters. It highlights the issues of global concern such as international terrorism, nuclear weapons and strategic arms control agenda, nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, new types of conventional weapons, space security, and cyber diplomacy. Regarding regional security, it concentrates on Sino-Russian relations, the Middle East, Russian-Iranian relations, the assessment of BRICS prospects, new developments in the relations between Russia and African countries, and the security dialogue between Russia and the states of Latin America, to mention just a few. It also contains book reviews and the chronology of recent global and regional security events, as seen from the perspective of Russian scholars and practitioners.
Among those who will be speaking during the launch are Acad. Anatoly Torkunov, Rector of MGIMO University; Dr. Vitaly Naumkin, Academic Advisor of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, member of PIR Center Advisory Board; Dr. Dmitry Trenin, Senior Research Fellow at the Nonproliferation and Arms Control Sector of the Center for International Security of IMEMO RAS, Research Professor at HSE University, member of PIR Center Executive Board; Dr. Dmitry Evstafiev, Professor of the Department of Theory of Law and State at Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University); among others.
In the foreword to the Security Index Yearbook, Dr. Anatoly Torkunov, Rector of MGIMO University, emphasizes: “Today, a lack of globally focused publications with analytical materials written by Russian international relations experts is evident. It has become more challenging for the Russian academic community to deliver its views on topical global security issues to a worldwide audience. However, such analysis is more in demand than ever. Security Index Yearbook is targeted primarily at foreign readers; it simultaneously pursues two goals: a strictly research-based one and a mix of analysis and public diplomacy – to inform foreign readers about Russian studies and analysis on international security. Russian academic materials published in English perform an important function of science for diplomacy.“
Ambassadors, other diplomatic corps representatives, experienced and young experts from more than 20 countries, and a limited number of media representatives will attend the launch in the ancient Russian town of Zvenigorod, one hour west of Moscow.
The Yearbook brings together under its cover 31 authors: Dr. Irina Abramova, Director of the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences; H.E. Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Amb. Kirill Barsky, Head of the Diplomacy Department at MGIMO University; Dr. Andrey Kortunov, Academic Director of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC); Dr. Dmitry Trenin, Senior Research Fellow at the Nonproliferation and Arms Control Sector of the Center for International Security of IMEMO RAS; Dr. Vladimir Orlov, PIR Center Founding Director, Professor at MGIMO University; Dr. Dmitry Polikanov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo; Dr. Maxim Suchkov, Director of the Institute of International Studies at MGIMO University; Dr. Vasily Kashin, Director of the Department of World Economy and World Politics at HSE University; Dr. Dmitry Evstafiev, Professor of the Department of Theory of Law and State at Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University); Dr. Mikhail Lysenko, Deputy Director of the Department of International Law at MGIMO University; Mr. Dmitry Stefanovich, Research Fellow at the Sector for Military Economics and Innovation of the Center for International Security at IMEMO RAS; Dr. Elena Chernenko, Special Correspondent of the Kommersant Daily, member of PIR Center Executive Board, among others.
The International Editorial Board of the Security Index Yearbook is headed by Acad. Anatoly Torkunov, Rector of MGIMO University, and includes, among others Dr. Venkatesh Varma, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Russian Federation in 2018-2021, distinguished fellow of the Vivekananda International Foundation; Dr. Nabil Fahmy, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt (2013-2014), Dean Emeritus of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the American University in Cairo; Dr. Sergey Brilev, President of the Global Energy Association; Dr. Mikhail Margelov, Vice President of the Russian International Affairs Council; Dr. Tariq Rauf, Former Head of Verification and Security Policy Coordination Department at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Amb. Sergio Duarte, a career diplomat of Brazil, former President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs; Lieutenant General (ret.) Evgeny Buzhinsky, PIR Center Executive Board Chairman.
“The publication of the PIR Center’s Security Index Yearbook in cooperation with MGIMO University seems particularly relevant in the current challenging circumstances. I hope this publication will find its readers interested both in the international expert-analytical community and among diplomats, politicians, and officials preparing practical solutions in the security field,” – Dr. Andrey Kortunov, Academic Director of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), member of PIR Center Advisory Board, the author of the Security Index Yearbook.
This volume of the Security Index Yearbook has been prepared within the joint project of PIR Center and MGIMO University Global Security, Strategic Stability, and Arms Control under the auspices of the Priority-2030 Strategic Academic Leadership Program. The launch is held in partnership with the Trialogue Club International.
If you have any questions related to the Security Index Yearbook, please contact Ms. Elena Karnaukhova, PIR Center Deputy Director-Education & Training Program Director, Executive Editor of the Security Index Yearbook, via karnaukhova@pircenter.org. Regarding the registration of media and information agencies, please contact Mr. Maksim Sorokin via editor@pircenter.org.
Key words: Global Security; Security Index Yearbook
SIY
F4/SOR – 24/06/26
