‘ Russia … it is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma …’ — Sir Winston CHURCHILL (1 October 1939). Russia takes Crimea; Russia destabilises Ukraine; Russia now is attacking in Syria; a Russian plane crashes in Sinai. Is this the start of a new assertive Russia? Is a new cold war brewing? In any case, is the Russian bear back? One thing is for sure: Russia is too big and too important to ignore. Ever since the Russian Federation gained its independence from the defunct Soviet Union in 1991, nothing has been straightforward in its pathway to the 21st Century: ducking and weaving between capitalism and state control, democratic freedoms and familiar autocracy. Under President Vladimir Putin, the long-cherished Russian goal of strength and stability has found a hero. He has been on the scene since 2000 and could still remain in power until 2024. From a western point-of-view, Russia can be hard to understand and also menacing. Allegedly 19th century cannons lo...
'The Road Ahead' looks at some of the world trends issues and future forecasts from a Biblical worldview.