Russian Institute for Strategic Studies

Russian Institute for Strategic Studies

Российский институт стратегических исследований
Abbreviation	RISS, RISI, or RISY
Headquarters	125413, Moscow, Smolensky Boulevard 26/9с1[1]
Region	The center has regional offices in Nizhny Novgorod, Kaliningrad, Saint Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Yekaterinburg, Arkhangelsk, Chelyabinsk and Vladivostok.[2]
Official language	Russian
Website	riss.ru

The Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISS) or (RISI) or (RISY) (Russian: Российский институт стратегических исследований (РИСИ)) is a Russian research and analytical center formed by decree by former Russian Federation President Boris Yeltsin in 1992.^[3]

Many of its employees are retired senior Russian foreign intelligence officials appointed by Putin's office.^[4][5]

History

The institute was part of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation until 2009 when it was transferred to the Presidential Administration of Russia and became directly accountable to the President of Russia (Vladimir Putin).^[6] The Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISI) was founded on 4 January 2017 with Mikhail Fradkov.

Building

Since 2017, RISI is at the former mansion of Mikhail Morozov at Smolensky Boulevard, 26/9, building 1, underwent improvements under the Office of the Presidential Affairs,^[a] which were authorized by Vladimir Putin on 22 February 2017, to become the location of RISI's offices.^[7][8][b] In 2019, the restoration was completed.^[11]

Activities

According to its mission statement, the organization activities include:

• Research work
• Development of information and analytical materials, proposals, recommendations, expert assessments for state structures of Russia;
• Informing political and scientific circles, the public about problems affecting the national security and strategic interests of Russia;
• Organization and conduct of scientific-practical conferences, seminars, situational analyzes on priority issues;
• Providing information and consulting services.

Structure

Structure of RISS can be found here:^[12]

• Academic Council
• Representative in France
• Representative in Turkey
• Representative in Bulgaria
• Director
  • Consultative Group
• Leadership
  • Research Center
    • Ural regional information and analytical center (Yekaterinburg)
    • Black Sea-Caspian Regional Information and Analytical Center (Rostov-on-Don)
  • Humanitarian Center
    • Volga Center of Regional and Ethno-religious Studies (Kazan)
    • Saint-Petersburg Regional Information and Analytical Center
    • Eastern-Siberian Regional Information and Analytical Center (Irkutsk)
  • Center for Asia and the Middle East
    • Regional Center of Asian-Pacific research (Vladivostok)
  • Economic Research Center
  • Euro-Atlantic Research Center
    • Baltic Regional Information and Analytical Center (Kaliningrad)
    • Representative in Finland (Helsinki)
    • Representative in the Balkans (Belgrade, Serbia)
  • Center of Defense Studies

Directors

• Yuri Scepinsky [ru]^[13][14] (1991-1994)
• Evgeny Kozhokin [ru] (1994-2009)
• Leonid Reshetnikov (2009 - January 4, 2017)
• Mikhail Fradkov^[15] (Since January 4, 2017)

Criticism

The organization has been described as involved in promoting Russian pro-government views and propaganda.^[5][4]

Ties to secret services

The Moscow Times called RISS the place where old spooks are sent to retire.^[16] The authors were unimpressed with the organization's influence, and they explain how they think a former director, Leonid Reshetnikov, drove the institute into the ground.^[16] Ivan Nechepurenko of The New York Times said that inside Russia, RISS is known as a "semiretirement refuge for former intelligence officers" and as a place where "ex-intelligence officials can work with dignity".^[17]

AIDS

Three RISS deputies with degrees in sociology and historical sciences (and no degrees in medicine) co-authored a report on AIDS, in which they seemed to agree that condoms could cause HIV/AIDS by removing self-protective behavior, and that the true fight was against "drugs and debauchery". The report called statements about the epidemic of AIDS is part of the information war of the West against Russia. It was pointed out that there are two models of HIV: the Western and Moscow. It was noted that the international community asks Russia to use the first approach in the fight against disease and thus forces Russia to use an independent foreign and domestic policy.^[18]

Supporting pro-Russian politicians

The organization has supported pro-Russian politicians in many countries; in some cases to a point it has been accused of interfering with local politics. In 2019 Leonid Reshetnikov was banned from entry to Bulgaria for 10 years for RISS interference in Bulgarian elections.^[5]

2016 US presidential election

Main article: Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections

In April 2017, Reuters cited several U.S. officials as stating that the RISS had developed a strategy to sway the U.S. election to Donald Trump, and failing that to disillusion U.S. voters with in their democratic system.^[4] The development of strategy was allegedly ordered by Putin and directed by former officers of Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), retired SVR general Leonid Petrovich Reshetnikov being head of the RISS at the time. The unidentified U.S. officials stated that the propaganda efforts began in March 2016. The first set of recommendations, issued in June 2016, proposed that Russia must support a candidate for U.S. president more favorable to Russia than Obama had been via a social media campaign and through Russia-backed news outlets. Until October it recommended supporting Trump, but about a month before the election, second report was written with the conclusion that Hillary Clinton was likely to win and that a new strategy should be aimed at undermining U.S. voters′ faith in the electoral system.^[4] by disseminating messages claiming voter fraud in the election.^[4] RISS director Mikhail Fradkov and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the allegations.^[19]

Ultra-conservative, anti-Western views

The organization has been described as promoting ultraconservative, anti-Western, anti-liberal views, in particular, anti-LGBT, anti-divorce and anti-abortion views. It has also criticized the introduction of sex education to public schools.^[5]

According to Bloomberg View columnist Leonid Bershidsky, under the Reshetnikov rule the institute entered into an alliance with far rights, and Reshetnikov himself is a nationalist close to the milieu who unleashed a pro-Russian rebellion in eastern Ukraine. According to Bershidsky, Putin may agree with them on some points and he uses them informally, but they are far from the only voice Putin listens to.^[20][21]

Anti-Ukrainian views

The organization has been described as promoting anti-Ukrainian views. In Poland people involved with the Institute encouraged discussion about a Polish-Russian anti-Ukrainian alliance, and proposed that Poland should annex Western Ukraine.^[5]

Notes

1. Mikhail Fradkov's son Pavel Fradkov (Russian: Павел Фрадков) is the deputy head of the Office of the Presidential Affairs.^[7]
2. From 1993 to 2015, the Morozov house was the location of the Rossiysky Kredit Bank, Russian Credit Bank or Roscredit (Russian: банк «Российский кредит») and after Roscredit's license was revoked by the Central Bank of Russia on 24 July 2015, the Office of the Presidential Affairs managed the Morozov house.^[7][9][10]

References

1. Photo taken 2012.
2. "Об институте: Структура" [About the Institute: Structure] (in Russian). Russian Institute for Strategic Studies. Archived from the original on 20 January 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
3. February 29, 1992. No. 202 "On the formation of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies" in "RISS Charter" (PDF). RISS. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
4. Parker, Ned; Landay, Jonathan; Walcott, John (19 April 2017). "Putin-linked think tank drew up plan to sway 2016 US election - documents". Reuters. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
5. Rzeczkowski, Grzegorz (20 April 2022). "Służba Putina do zadań specjalnych zatruwa Polskę. Tak działa RISI". wyborcza.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2022-04-25.
6. Лагунина, Ирина (Lagunina, Irina); Маетная, Елизавета (Maternaya, Elizabeth) (20 April 2017). "Трамп и тайные документы Кремля" [Trump and secret documents of the Kremlin] (in Russian). Радио Свобода. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
7. Пушкарская, Анна (Pushkarskaya, Anna) (1 February 2018). "Деятельность Михаила Фрадкова. Особняк Морозовых стратегически исследуют: Резиденция экс-главы СВР переедет поближе к МИДу" [Activities of Mikhail Fradkov. Morozov's mansion is being strategically explored: The residence of the former head of the Foreign Intelligence Service will move closer to the Foreign Ministry]. Kommersant (in Russian). Archived from the original on 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
8. Снаружка Центра «Досье» (1 November 2019). "Секреты СВР: Сколько пьют в СВР, как генералы сдали в аренду банку свою секретную штаб-квартиру, и кто живет в бывших спецдачах КГБ" [Secrets of the SVR: How much they drink in the SVR, how the generals rented their secret headquarters to the bank, and who lived in the former KGB special dachas]. medium.com (in Russian). Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022. Alternate archive
9. "Особняк М.К. Морозовой" [Mansion M.K. Morozova]. Узнай Москвы (www.um.mos.ru) (in Russian). June 2017. Archived from the original on 4 June 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
10. "Суд в Британии признал беглого банкира Мотылева банкротом: Бывший владелец банка «Российский кредит» Анатолий Мотылев признан банкротом в Великобритании. Этого добился его крупнейший российский кредитор. Теперь он займется поиском активов экс-банкира по всему миру" [Court in Britain declares fugitive banker Motylev bankrupt: The former owner of the Russian Credit Bank, Anatoly Motylev, was declared bankrupt in the UK. This was achieved by his largest Russian creditor. Now he will search for the assets of the ex-banker around the world.]. RBC (in Russian). 3 November 2020. Archived from the original on 3 November 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
11. "Особняк М.К. Морозовой" [Mansion M.K. Morozova]. Узнай Москвы (www.um.mos.ru) (in Russian). February 2020. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
12. "RISS: Structure". Russia's Institute for Strategic Studies (in Russian). 2012. Archived from the original on 2 April 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
13. "Ю.Е. Сцепинскому — 85 лет" [Yu.E. Scepinsky - 85 years old]. ras.jes.su (in Russian). 4 September 2020. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
14. Макаркин, Алексей (Makarkin, Alexey) (5 February 2002). "СТЕПАШИН ПО БОЛЬШОМУ СЧЕТУ: По количеству занимаемых им постов Сергей Степашин является одним из самых разносторонних российских политиков. Он был директором Федеральной службы контрразведки, министром юстиции, министром внутренних дел, премьер-министром (82 дня), народным депутатом РФ, депутатом Госдумы, а в настоящее время занимает пост председателя Счетной палаты. И все это до наступления 50-летия, которое Степашин отмечает в марте нынешнего года" [STEPASHIN BY A LARGE ACCOUNT: In terms of the number of posts he holds, Sergei Stepashin is one of the most versatile Russian politicians. He was the director of the Federal Counterintelligence Service, Minister of Justice, Minister of Internal Affairs, Prime Minister (82 days), People's Deputy of the Russian Federation, Deputy of the State Duma, and currently holds the post of Chairman of the Accounts Chamber. And all this before the 50th anniversary, which Stepashin celebrates in March this year.]. Politcom.Ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 21 February 2002. Retrieved 23 September 2021. Alternate archive at compromat.ru.
15. "Фрадков назначен директором РИСИ" [Fradkov was appointed director of RISI] (in Russian). Interfax. 2 November 2016. Archived from the original on 25 April 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
16. Bodner, Matthew; Kovalev, Alexey (20 April 2017). "Where Old Spooks Are Sent to Retire: Russia's Institute of Strategic Studies. The Russian think tank suspected of masterminding Russia's election hacking efforts is a crackpot outfit, not a trusted institution". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 20 April 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
17. Nechepurenko, Ivan (20 April 2017). "Kremlin Group Employing Ex-Spies Is Viewed Abroad as Propaganda Mill". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
18. Черных, Александр (Chernykh, Alexander) (31 May 2016). "В СПИДе не нашли ничего русского: Мосгордуме предложили противопоставить эпидемии ВИЧ разнополую моногамную семью" [Nothing Russian has been found in AIDS: The Moscow City Duma was proposed to counter the HIV epidemic with a different-sex monogamous family]. Kommersant. Archived from the original on 24 April 2017. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
19. Stubbs, Jack; Pinchuk, Denis (21 April 2017). King, Larry (ed.). "Russia denies Reuters report think tank drew up plan to sway U.S. election". Reuters. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
20. Lake, Eli (20 April 2017). "Time's Up: Trump Can't Have It Both Ways on Russia: It will be damning if the president continues to equivocate about Russia's role in the death of a former spy". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
21. Bershidsky, Leonid (20 April 2017). "Another Reason to Avoid Rushing on Russia's Election Role: The latest revelation is less than meets the eye". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.

External links

• RISS TV, official YouTube channel
• And is everything known to Fradkov?
• Photo: Oleg Evgenievich Lushnikov
• Russian experts called Reshetnikov's words "provocation", outraged by the Belarusian Foreign Ministry (December 22, 2016). MK.ru