Ruslan Pukhov
Born
Ruslan Nikolayevich Pukhov

(1973-04-16) 16 April 1973 (age 50)
Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Alma materMoscow State Institute of International Relations
OccupationCAST director

Ruslan Nikolayevich Pukhov (Russian: Руслан Николаевич Пухов) is a Russian defence analyst and director of the Moscow-based Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST).[1][2] In addition to his role at CAST, since 2007 Pukhov has been a member of the Public Council of the Russian Ministry of Defence, composed of civilians and retired servicemen, which advises the Minister of Defence on a variety of issues.[3][4] He was previously the executive director of the Russian Armourers' Union, which represents Russian small arms manufacturers.[5]

Biography

Pukhov was born on 16 April 1973 in Elektrostal, a suburb of Moscow. He studied international journalism at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) from 1990 to 1994. In 1996, he graduated from the Franco-Russian dual-degree program between Master d'Etudes Internationales Sciences Po and MGIMO with an M.A. in political science.[6] While studying at Sciences Po, Pukhov interned at the Russian Embassy in Paris for six months. He then worked as a researcher of the Conventional Arms Project at the Center for Policy Studies in Russia (PIR Center) from 1996 to 1997.[2] In the summer of 1997, Pukhov and Konstantin Makienko founded the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST), which was inspired by the French think tank Centre de recherches et d'études sur les stratégies et les technologies or Centre for Study of Strategies and Technologies (CREST). CAST publishes the Russian-language journal Eksport Vooruzheniy (Arms Exports), which cover topics on Russian and former Soviet states' defence industries, arms trade, and armed forces.

Pukhov has written a number of articles and op-eds on defence matters for The New York Times, Defense News, The National Interest, and other news sources.[7][8] He has also published a number of books, including Brothers Armed: Military Aspects of the Crisis in Ukraine, The Tanks of August, The Turkish Military Machine, etc.[9][10] Pukhov is also frequently interviewed on defence topics by Russian and foreign media sources, including Vedomosti,[11] Kommersant,[12] The Wall Street Journal,[13] and Reuters.[14]

Since 2018, Pukhov has been moderating the Ogarkov Readings conference dedicated to the memory of Marshal of the Soviet Union Nikolai Ogarkov, who anticipated the revolution in military affairs.[15]

On 19 October 2022, Pukhov accidentally let slip during a live interview on RBK TV that Russia's loitering munitions used in the Russo-Ukrainian War—specifically Geran-2—are of Iranian origin, saying "we all know that they're Iranian, but the authorities aren't acknowledging it".[16]

References

  1. ^ "Russia confirms Iran missile contract". The Moscow News. No. 10. Associated Press. 19 March 2009. Archived from the original on 24 March 2009.
  2. ^ a b "About CAST: Ruslan Pukhov, CAST Director". cast.ru. Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. Archived from the original on 1 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Состав совета". mil.ru (in Russian). Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  4. ^ "About us". cast.ru. Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Контактная информация". souz-ros-or.ru (in Russian). Russian Armourers' Union. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015.
  6. ^ "WORLD POLITICS (Russian-French Double Degree Master's Program in cooperation with Sciences Po, Paris) M.A. IN POLITICAL SCIENCE". mgimo.ru. Moscow State Institute of International Relations. Archived from the original on 20 April 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  7. ^ Pukhov, Ruslan (4 March 2014). "Opinion | What Putin Really Wants". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  8. ^ Pukhov, Ruslan (13 December 2015). "Commentary: Russia Must Walk a Fine Line with West Amid Crises in Ukraine, Syria". Defense News. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  9. ^ "Турецкая военная машина: сила и слабость". cast.ru (in Russian). Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  10. ^ "Books". cast.ru. Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. Archived from the original on 10 October 2014. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
  11. ^ Mukhametshina, Elena; Kozlov, Pyotr; Ilyina, Nina; Nikolsky, Alexei (15 March 2016). "Владимир Путин объявил о выводе войск из Сирии". Vedomosti (in Russian). Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  12. ^ ""Сейчас компания, производящая бытовую технику, зарабатывает больше, чем многие оборонно-промышленные гиганты"". Kommersant (in Russian). 20 May 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  13. ^ Hodge, Nathan; Malas, Nour; Schwartz, Felicia (15 March 2016). "Kerry, Putin to Discuss Syria as Russia Seeks to Bolster Influence". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  14. ^ Solovyov, Dmitry; Lowe, Christian (17 October 2008). "ANALYSIS-Russian army shaken by post-Georgia reform plan". Reuters. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  15. ^ "Projects". cast.ru. Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  16. ^ "Member of Defense Ministry public council lets slip Iranian origin of Russia's Geran-2 drones". The Insider. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
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