Jakub M. Godzimirski

Mapping Russian interests and power repertoires in the MENA region and Ukraine

This report presents a comparative examination of the key drivers of Russia’s foreign and security policy focusing on its power repertoires in two geopolitical contexts: in Ukraine, where conflict has been ongoing since 2014 and entered a new phase in February 2022; and in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where Russia has been more active since its military engagement in Syria in 2015.

Protection of critical infrastructure in Norway – factors, actors and systems

The main aim of this article is to examine how the issue of protecting critical infrastructure is addressed in Norway. To answer this question, the article addresses two important sub-questions – what is to be understood in the current historical and the specific Norwegian context as important elements of national critical infrastructure and what is the current understanding of risks and threats that this infrastructure should be protected against? This article is based on a detailed quantitative and qualitative examination of the official Norwegian documents and statements on questions related to various aspects of protecting critical infrastructure in Norway. In section one, structural factors that have played a major part in shaping Norwegian thinking about critical infrastructure are discussed. Section two provides a short summary of the current discussion on elements of critical infrastructure in Norway. In section three, the article discusses official Norwegian perceptions of threats and how they address questions related to critical infrastructure. The fourth section looks at the current official approach to protection of critical infrastructure in the country. The process of building the existing system for protecting critical infrastructure in Norway has been driven by both domestic and international concerns. The system should make it possible for citizens to meet their needs through access to various important societal functions, but it also needs to make it possible to address challenges that stem from the international environment.

Czech and Norwegian perspectives on new security threats concerning Russian war on Ukraine

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has disrupted the world’s energy system. The most urgent need was to phase out the EU’s dependence on Russian energy imports and find a quick replacement. In this joint paper, we approach the issue from two different perspectives of the Czech Republic and Norway, looking for intersections and identifying opportunities to strengthen cooperation and facilitate the accelerated energy transition and diversification. We conclude that both countries have taken immediate action in addressing the most pressing energy-related risks. The potential for closer cooperation is obvious. Both countries should maximise the level of collaboration by taking advantage of existing institutional frameworks (NATO and EU/EEA). In the energy dimension, the key to cooperation in the short term is gas (investment in production in Norway, development of export pipelines or protecting critical sub-sea infrastructure). In the longer term, both countries should jointly cooperate on developing of hydrogen market, including production and transportation.

How the Snake Island matters in the context of the 2022 war in Ukraine? An assessment of the strategic importance of the most disputed island of th...

Russia in the Black Sea region and in the High North: similarities and differences in strategic posture and responses to war in Ukraine

Russian Military Reset in The High North and The Black Sea Region: Similarities and Differences

Information Warfare and Information Operations in the Black Sea Area