Publication

This essay looks at Russia’s network of natural gas pipelines, Russian ethnic enclaves in the country’s neighbors, and where these two overlap. The author contends that 1) these enclaves are located along major pipelines routes, often at key junctures in pipeline networks; and 2) that they are often located on substantial shale gas reserves, the exploitation of which would undercut Russia’s influence over the natural gas market. He also argues that these two factors are key to understanding Eurasian geopolitics and Russia’s policy toward the region, including the reason why Moscow is more comfortable than the West with the existence of unresolved conflicts in the region.