MOSCOW. APRIL 29, 2024. PIR PRESS. «The book before you is a collection of reflections penned by the most prominent Russian experts on international security, foreign policy and global development. It is kind of an assortment of rough diamonds that as the Editor-in-Chief I make a point of leaving unpolished lest I should give them a misleadingly high gloss. Conversely, I want you to be able to see also their imperfections which appear as a result of our ongoing professional debates… In line with our time-proven policy, we do not intend to indoctrinate our readers, force-feed them with our answers to complex questions or, for that matter, pretend to know all the answers. This would be highly unprofessional and presumptuous. On the contrary, we assume that, to quote the outstanding Abkhazian thinker Fazil Iskander, not every critique is essentially a thought, but every thought is essentially a critique», — Dr. Vladimir Orlov, Editor-in-Chief of the Security Index Yearbook, PIR Center Founding Director, Professor at MGIMO University in the Introduction to the Security Index Yearbook.
Pending its 30th anniversary, PIR Center is excited to announce the release of the Security Index Yearbook 2024-2025 by PIR&MGIMO Vol. 1 Digital Edition, a unique analytical endeavor.
This volume of the Security Index Yearbook has been prepared within the framework of 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. This Yearbook is the successor to the Security Index Journal, which was earlier published by PIR Center for international security specialists, decision-makers, business representatives, lecturers and students, journalists, etc. in Russia and around the world under guidance and editorial chairmanship by Dr. Vladimir Orlov, PIR Center Founding Director, Professor at MGIMO University.
The Security Index Yearbook is 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 muffling 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 really keen to understand Russia’s line of reasoning, its interests and perception of security,” — Dr. Vladimir Orlov emphasizes in the Introduction.
The Security Index Yearbook 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, cyber diplomacy. In terms of regional security, it concentrates on Russia-China relations, Middle East, Russia-Iran relations, the assessment of BRICS prospects, new developments in the relations between Russia and African countries, 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 events in global and regional security.
The Security Index Yearbook is designed above all for the international expert community, decision makers, think tanks, business circles and specialists in Russian studies, as well as those who just want to get a fresh look at the Russian foreign and defense policy, Russia’s activities on global arena and threats perception. The Security Index Yearbook is a contribution to a better understanding of global developments and what stand Russia takes on them.
The Yearbook brings together under its cover 31 authors: authoritative Russian experts — leading theorists and practitioners in the field of international relations, global and regional security. Among them are, in particular, Dr. Irina Abramova, member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Director of the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Dr. Andrey Baykov, Vice President for Research at MGIMO University, member of PIR Center Advisory Board; Dr. Kirill Barsky, Head of the Department of Diplomacy at MGIMO University, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary; Dr. Vyacheslav Belokrenitsky, Professor of the Oriental Studies Department at MGIMO University; Dr. Dmitry Evstafiev, Professor of the Department of Theory of Law and State at Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University); Dr. Vasily Kashin, Director of the Department of World Economy and World Politics at HSE University; Dr. Andrey Kortunov, Academic Director of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), member of PIR Center Advisory Board; Mr. Vladimir Ladanov, Head of the South Pacific Section of the Third Department of Asia at the Russian Foreign Ministry; Dr. Mikhail Lysenko, Deputy Director of the Department of International Law at MGIMO University, member of PIR Center Advisory Board; Dr. Andrey Malov, member of PIR Center Advisory Board; Dr. Ruslan Mamedov, Research Director of the Primakov Center for International Cooperation, Senior Researcher at the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Mr. Adlan Margoev, Research Fellow at the Center for Middle East and African Studies of the Institute of International Studies of MGIMO University; Dr. Boris Martynov, Professor at the Department of International Relations and Foreign Policy of Russia of MGIMO University; Mr. Nikita Neklyudov, Deputy Dean for Master’s Programs at the School of International Relations of MGIMO University; Dr. Vladimir Orlov, PIR Center Founding Director, Professor at MGIMO University; Dr. Dmitry Polikanov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo; H.E. Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Mr. Dmitry Stefanovich, Research Fellow at the Sector for Military Economics and Innovation of the Center for International Security at IMEMO RAS, member of PIR Center Advisory Board; Dr. Maxim Suchkov, Director of the Institute of International Studies at MGIMO University; 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. Alexey Ubeev, Former Chief Specialist of the IAEA Nuclear Security Office (2011-2015), member of PIR Center Advisory Board; Dr. Elena Chernenko, Special Correspondent of the Kommersant Daily, member of PIR Center Executive Board, and many others. Thanks to their knowledge and experience, one of the distinctive features of the Yearbook are its balanced, diverse views and approaches.
The International Editorial Board of the Security Index Yearbook is headed by Acad. Anatoly Torkunov, Rector of MGIMO University, under whose chairmanship a meeting of the team of authors and the International Editorial Board was held in December 2023. The International Editorial Board of the Security Index Yearbook also includes: Dr. Vladimir Orlov, PIR Center Founding Director, Professor at MGIMO University, Editor-in-Chief of the Security Index Yearbook; Dr. Andrey Baykov, Vice President for Research at MGIMO University, member of PIR Center Advisory Board; Dr. Sergey Brilev, President of the Global Energy Association; Lieutenant General (ret.) Evgeny Buzhinsky, PIR Center Executive Board Chairman; Amb. Sergio Duarte, career diplomat of Brazil, former President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, member of PIR Center Advisory Board (Brazil); Dr. Dmitry Evstafiev, Professor of the Department of Theory of Law and State at Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University); Dr. Nabil Fahmy, Dean Emeritus of the School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the American University in Cairo, member of PIR Center Advisory Board (Egypt); Ms. Elena Karnaukhova, PIR Center Deputy Director, Executive Editor of the Security Index Yearbook; Dr. Mikhail Margelov, Vice President of the Russian International Affairs Council, member of PIR Center Advisory Board; 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 Polikanov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo; Dr. Tariq Rauf, Former Head of Verification and Security Policy Coordination Department at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), member of PIR Center Advisory Board (Austria/Canada); Dr. Ivan Safranchuk, Director and Leading Researcher at the Center for Euro-Asian Studies of the Institute of International Studies of MGIMO University, member of PIR Center Advisory Board; Dr. Venkatesh Varma Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Russian Federation in 2018-2021, distinguished fellow of the Vivekananda International Foundation, visiting faculty of Kautilya School of Public Policy, member of PIR Center Advisory Board (India).
The publication of the Security Index Yearbook 2024-2025 by PIR&MGIMO Vol. 1 Digital Edition is timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of PIR Center, which was founded on April 30, 1994. The release and worldwide presentations of the hard copy edition of the Security Index Yearbook, and information regarding sales and distribution, will be announced at a later date and will be dedicated to the upcoming 80th anniversary of our strategic partner of many years — MGIMO University, with which we have been working together on this ambitious and forward-looking project.
For general 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. For questions related to digital edition of the Security Index Yearbook, please contact Ms. Ksenia Mineeva, Information & Publications Program Coordinator, Editor of the Digital Edition of the Security Index Yearbook, via mineeva@pircenter.org.
Key words: Security Index Yearbook; Global Security
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