Senior Research Fellow/Head of Russia, Eurasia & Black Sea Programme @RUSI_org. Director @RISS_org. Fellow @DCRES_Harvard. Assoc. Professor in Russian Politics.
London, England
Joined October 2014
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A slightly overdue personal update: I recently joined @RUSI_org full-time as a Senior Research Fellow, leading the Russian and Eurasian Security programme within the institute.
rusi.org/people/seskuria?fbc…
Natia Seskuria retweeted
"I would be very careful to claim that there is any sort of tangible prospect of success there because unfortunately, even from what comes out of the Kremlin statements as a result of these conversations, it clearly indicates that Russians have not really changed positions when it comes to their maximalist demands."
RUSI’s @nseskuria spoke to @TimesRadio about the call between the leaders of Finland and Norway and Vladimir Putin, and what it means for efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
Watch the full interview below.
youtube.com/watch?v=9L9DUwdQ…
Natia Seskuria retweeted
🎙️In April 2026, Ukrainian air defences shot down a Russian Geran-2 strike drone near Chernihiv. A radiation warning label on the warhead sent the story around the world, often described as Russia deploying radioactive weapons or a ‘dirty bomb’.
In the latest episode of #GlobalSecurityBriefing, @VitalyBBC of @BBCMonitoring joins @nseskuria to examine the weapon, how such claims are verified, and what the incident reveals about information warfare: bit.ly/4hyZC9S
Natia Seskuria retweeted
Why is Russia attacking Ukraine with radioactive drones? I discussed my findings with @nseskuria from @RUSI_org
rusi.org/podcasts/global-sec…
In the latest episode of @RUSI_org’s Global Security Briefing podcast, I hosted @VitalyBBC, Russia Editor at BBC Monitoring. We discussed a radiation warning found on a downed Russian drone and what it reveals about information warfare and media monitoring rusi.org/podcasts/global-sec…
Russia’s staged elections were designed to legitimise the war. By conflating support for United Russia with loyalty to Putin, the Kremlin could portray a landslide as a mandate for his war - and potentially its escalation. My latest for @RUSI_org: rusi.org/explore-our-researc…
Natia Seskuria retweeted
Russia's parliamentary election delivered the expected result: a decisive victory for United Russia. What follows is far less predictable. In the latest #RUSICommentary, @nseskuria argues that the Kremlin's options are narrowing - with growing indications it may be preparing for a further wave of mobilisation.
rusi.org/explore-our-researc…
Natia Seskuria retweeted
Russia’s Category D completely exempts people from military service and can be assigned for severe, irreversible conditions, including blindness and schizophrenia. Putin backed a proposal to let some "D" volunteers serve in regional drone-defense units. meduza.io/en/news/2026/09/07…
I spoke with The New York Times about Moscow’s escalating threats towards the UK and the implications for the UK’s support for #Ukraine.
nytimes.com/2026/08/24/world…
Today, #Ukraine marks 35 years of independence. Yet its struggle for freedom has spanned centuries—and for the past 12 years, it has once again been fought in the face of Russian aggression.
On Ukraine’s Independence Day, I wanted to share some of the work we have produced at @RUSI_org over the past years, reflecting on how 🇺🇦’s resilience and determination have altered the course of the war – and generated vital lessons for allies and partners around the world.
You can explore our work here: rusi.org/explore-our-researc…
I spoke with CNN about Ukraine’s recent success in its campaign against Russian targets but also shared my pessimism about the prospects for any meaningful diplomatic breakthrough at this stage. edition.cnn.com/2026/08/09/e…
1/7 Mykhailo Fedorov’s call for wartime elections has reopened a debate Ukraine’s political class had largely set aside since the full-scale invasion: how can democratic accountability be sustained while the country is fighting for its survival?
6/7 A fair campaign would also be difficult to guarantee. Candidates would have unequal opportunities to travel and communicate, while voters would face unequal access to information amid wartime restrictions and information warfare.
7/7 Fedorov’s intervention is unlikely to lead to an imminent election, but it challenges wartime consensus. Question for Kyiv is not whether elections must eventually take place, but how to create a roadmap that protects participation, security and legitimacy. #Ukraine