Full Details

Friday, February 12

Russia's Armed Forces Today
Time:
2:30 pm
Presenter:
Michael Kofman, Research Scientist at CNA Corporation, Fellow at the Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington, D.C
Location:
Alcoa Room, Barco Law Building
Sponsored by:
Center for Russian East European and Eurasian Studies along with Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security Studies

After a period of military reform and modernization, Russia's armed forces today are a far more capable instrument of national power then they have been since the collapse of the Soviet Union. How do we assess Russia's military today? What kind of wars and adversaries does it prepare to fight? What can we learn from recent combat operations in Syria and Ukraine?

Mr. Michael Kofman is a Research Scientist at CNA Corporation and a Fellow at the Kennan Institute, Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington, D.C. His research focuses on security issues in Russia and the former Soviet Union, specializing in defense and military analysis. Previously he served at National Defense University as a Program Manager and subject matter expert, advising senior military and government officials on issues in Russia/Eurasia and Pakistan. He has represented the Department of Defense in track one and track two efforts, through military engagement programs and strategic exchanges with Russian officials, the Chinese and Pakistani military, along with trilateral dialogues. At NDU he oversaw military-to-military engagements, training programs, and interoperability exercises for senior officers from the US and other countries.

His previous experience includes working as a researcher at the U.S. Institute of Peace, in anti-money laundering and terrorism financing at HSBC Bank, and on international science and technology cooperation programs at NASA. He has published articles on security issues in Eurasia, focusing on Russia and Ukraine, along with numerous analyses for the US government. He has also appeared in major television, online, and print media as a commentator and subject matter expert. Mr. Kofman holds a M.A. in International Security from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University and a B.A. in Political Science from Northeastern University.