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RUSI

The Royal United Services Institute is the world’s oldest and the UK’s leading defence and security think tank. An Independent institution, RUSI produces evidence-based research, publications and events on defence, security and international affairs to help build a safer UK and a more secure, equitable and stable world.

As a research-led institution, all RUSI activity is linked to its world-class research base. RUSI analysis is accurate, objective and policy relevant. RUSI maintains a wide range of multidisciplinary research specialisms, split across nine research groups as well as extensive network of eminent associates and consultants. 

RUSI is the podium of choice for world leaders and senior policy-makers and attracts high quality speakers and participants at its events, which vary in size and format from seminars to conferences.

RUSI is also a membership led organisation, with its members – both individual and corporate – enjoying unique access to the defence and security community.

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Latest reports

Exploring mechanisms for the return of proceeds of corruption

This report from UK think tank RUSI explores mechanisms for the return of proceeds of corruption. In the report, Maria outlines how the amount of assets returned by destination countries to countries of origin represents only a minimal fraction of the total amount of proceeds lost to corruption. In early 2022, it was estimated that...

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New energy supply chains: is the UK at risk from Chinese dominance?

This report from UK think tank RUSI examines what risks China’s position in global supply chains poses to the physical supply of materials. The report examines what risks China’s position in global supply chains poses to the physical supply of materials, components and final goods in the battery and EV, solar, wind and electricity grid...

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Unearthing environmental and human security risks

This report from UK think tank RUSI outlines how the extraction of critical minerals may pose a threat to the UK's energy transition. In the report, the authors outline how the extraction of critical minerals – while being essential to enable the low-carbon transition – also “poses various environmental and human security risks, many of...

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The securitisation of energy

This report from UK think tank RUSI examines how Russia’s energy policy has interacted with its foreign and defence policies since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia views as a serious security threat any restriction of its access to and exploitation of oil and gas markets, either through international sanctions that prevent...

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Saudi Arabia: Kingdom of oil

This report from UK think tank RUSI analyses Saudi Arabia’s oil policy and how it interacts with the Kingdom’s domestic and foreign and security policies. Tobias outlines how oil revenues – which have historically fuelled Saudi Arabia’s social contract – are now the indispensable source of funding for the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform agenda. He...

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Anti-money-laundering enablers

This report from UK think tank RUSI looks at the four key challenges and how to address them. Kathryn Westmore In the report, Kathryn outlines how the legal and accounting industries have faced mounting criticism over their apparent failure to effectively prevent and detect illicit actors’ money laundering activities, particularly in the wake of the full-scale...

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Stormbreak: Fighting through Russian defences in Ukraine’s 2023 offensive

This report from UK think tank RUSI looks at the tactics employed and training provided during the Ukrainian offensive. Irrespective of the progress made during Ukraine’s counteroffensive, subsequent offensives will be necessary to achieve the liberation of Ukrainian territory. It is therefore important to assess the tactics employed and training provided during the Ukrainian offensive...

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Furthering Global Britain? Reviewing the Foreign Policy Effect of UK Engagement in East Africa

This report from UK think tank RUSI looks at the background on recent UK policy towards East Africa. This paper provides background on recent UK policy towards East Africa, summarises the research findings for RUSI's project 'Furthering Global Britain? Reviewing the Foreign Policy Effect of UK Engagement in East Africa’ and offers recommendations for the...

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Could Russia’s reliance on Belarus be its soft underbelly?

This report from UK think tank RUSI looks at the political and defence ties between Belarus and Russia. Alongside Ukraine, Belarus has for centuries been a significant part of Russia’s own history, both as part of an ancestral empire and – in Russia’s perception – as an extension of Russia’s own security space. The political...

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Malign interference in Southeast Asia

This report from UK think tank RUSI looks at Southeast Asian countries’ understanding of and experiences with foreign state interference. This paper provides a succinct macro-survey of Southeast Asian countries’ understanding of and experiences with foreign state interference, given that strategic competition is increasingly taking place in the ‘grey zone’ and between states, with an...

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Preliminary lessons in conventional warfighting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

This report from UK think tank RUSI looks at the implications of a range of capabilities for modern warfare from the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 has provided an invaluable opportunity to assess the capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (AFRF) and the implications...

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The Orlan complex

This report from UK think tank RUSI looks tracks the supply chains of Russia’s most successful UAV. A joint investigation between RUSI, Reuters and iStories has found that Russian companies closely associated with the St Petersburg-based Special Technology Centre Limited Liability Company (STC LLC or STC) – the Russian military-affiliated manufacturer of the Orlan-10 UAV1...

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Towards a new model for economic crime policing: Target 2030

This report from UK think tank RUSI looks at a national security-based model that draws on characteristics of three other national security policing responses. In 2022, escalating levels of fraud and the spotlight placed on the UK’s role in Russia-related money laundering have given rise to a growing recognition of economic crime as a national...

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Barriers to reporting ‘Suspicious Activities’

This report from UK think tank RUSI looks at how communities in Kenya have responded to the request of increasing reporting of ‘suspicious activities’. This paper empirically explores how communities have responded to the request of increasing reporting of ‘suspicious activities’. More specifically, it explores to what extent community members of Garissa and Lamu counties...

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Embassies and elephants

This report from UK think tank RUSI looks at North Korea's involvement in aspects of the illegal wildlife trade to generate foreign currency. The North Korean government has a long history of involvement in illicit activities to generate foreign currency, which it uses to fund the regime elite and its weapons proliferation programmes, currently subject...

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