Maria Snegovaya

Senior Fellow, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program
Maria Snegovaya

Maria Snegovaya is a senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and an adjunct professor in Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service. She studies Russia’s domestic and foreign policy, as well as democratic backsliding in post-communist Europe and the tactics used by Russian actors and proxies who exploit these dynamics in the region. Her analysis has been published in multiple policy and peer-reviewed journals. Her research and commentary have appeared in a number of publications such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, The Economist, and Foreign Policy. Throughout her career she has collaborated with multiple U.S. research centers and think tanks such as Center for a New American Security and Center for European Policy Analysis. Snegovaya holds a PhD in political science from Columbia University.

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When Left Moves Right

When Left Moves Right

Over the past two decades, postcommunist countries have undergone a striking shift in the electoral fortunes of their political parties: once-dominant center-left parties suffered dramatic defeats and faded from the political stage, while right-wing populist parties surged in popularity and seized power. This pattern closely paralleled developments in Western Europe and raises a critical question: were these dynamics connected? Maria Snegovaya’s latest book argues that they were, with the key link being the pro-market rebranding of the ex-communist left, fueling the rise of right-wing populism in countries where the left had embraced market reforms.

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Executive Education

Global Foresight: Geopolitical Risk and Scenario Planning

Global Foresight: Geopolitical Risk and Scenario Planning is Washington’s premier executive certificate program for mid-to senior-level professionals responsible for helping their organizations navigate geopolitical uncertainty and prepare resilient long-term strategies.

Course Date: October 26, 2026
Registration Closes: October 16, 2026

Rebuilding to Reconquer: Can Russia’s Defense Firms Deliver?

After four years of war, Russia’s defense industrial base has significantly reshaped, creating an asymmetric threat to NATO: It can rapidly scale production of weapons proven on the battlefield, combining Soviet-style resource allocation with selective market mechanisms.

Report by Maria Snegovaya, Tina Dolbaia, Nicholas Fenton, and Max Bergmann — July 14, 2026

Russian Roulette

Ukraine's Dynamic Defense Sector: Combat Hubs, Air Defense, and Non-Stop Innovation

Investigative journalist Tim Mak, who has been stationed in Ukraine since 2022, joins Max and Maria for a discussion about life in Kyiv, the processes and challenges driving innovation in Ukraine’s dynamic civilian defense combat hubs, and the impact of AI and information integration on the battlefield.

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann, Maria Snegovaya, and Tim Mak — July 10, 2026

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Russian Attitudes Are Shifting as the War’s Effects Come Home

Ukraine's long-range strikes on Russian refineries combine military and economic pressure in ways previous shocks did not. While unlikely to transform public opinion, they raise the Kremlin's domestic costs and create an opportunity for the West to amplify the pressure.

Commentary by Maria Snegovaya and Jade McGlynn — July 7, 2026

Press Briefing: Previewing the NATO Summit

The Center for Strategic and International Studies will host a virtual press briefing to preview the upcoming NATO Summit, set to be held in Ankara, Turkey.

Event — July 1, 2026

Russian Roulette

How Drone Innovation Reshapes the Battlefield in Ukraine with Kate Bondar

Max and Maria sit down with Kate Bondar, Senior Fellow at CSIS’s Wadhwani AI Center and expert on autonomous warfare, to discuss the role of drones in combat in Ukraine, including Russia’s innovation tactics and takeaways from the recent increase in strikes on Moscow and Kyiv. 

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann, Maria Snegovaya, and Kateryna Bondar — June 26, 2026

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The Impossible State

How Should the United States Counter the CRINK Axis?

Dr. Victor Cha, Igor Khrestin, Joseph Kim, and Dr. Maria Snegovaya join Will Todman to assess CRINK’s vulnerabilities and U.S. policy options on democracy, rights, and security.

Podcast Episode by Will Todman, Victor Cha, and Maria Snegovaya — June 12, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast
Russian Roulette

Dr. Nina Khrushcheva: History, Evolution, and a View from Inside Russia

Max and Maria talk with Dr. Nina Khrushcheva about her new book on Nikita Khrushchev and her rare firsthand insights from traveling to Russia, offering a unique view of its shifting politics and culture.

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann, Maria Snegovaya, and Nina Khrushcheva — June 11, 2026

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