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
Russian Roulette

How Ukraine Fights: Reflections from the Front Lines feat. Nate Vance

Maria Snegovaya sits down with Nate Vance —a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who enlisted in the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the 2022 invasion — to discuss Ukrainian and Russian military tactics, life as an infantryman, and the impact of Soviet legacies on military culture.

Podcast Episode by Maria Snegovaya — August 14, 2026

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Russian Roulette

Has the War Come Home to Russia?

Max Bergmann speaks with Maria Snegovaya and Jade McGlynn about how Russians have reacted to major shocks in recent years and whether current polling truly reflects changing attitudes toward the war.

Podcast Episode by Max Bergmann, Maria Snegovaya, and Jade McGlynn — July 27, 2026

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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

Audio Briefs

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

An audio version of "⁠Russian Attitudes Are Shifting as the War’s Effects Come Home⁠," a new Commentary by CSIS’s Maria Snegovaya and Jade McGlynn. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Maria Snegovaya and Jade McGlynn — July 7, 2026

Audio Briefs

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