Mark Youngman
@threatologist.com
Open-source investigator specialising in Russian security issues. My newsletter unpacks major issues or storie from the world of Russian security — tracing the relationships, trends, and deeper meaning behind them.
www.threatologist.com/newsletter
www.threatologist.com/newsletter
Pinned
Mark Youngman
@threatologist.com
· Feb 22
The best* book ever written on the Caucasus Emirate’s ideology is now available for pre-order.
The Caucasus Emirate: Ideology, identity and insurgency in Russia’s North Caucasus (Manchester University Press)
amzn.eu/d/6QrSQ3h
* and only
The Caucasus Emirate: Ideology, identity and insurgency in Russia’s North Caucasus (Manchester University Press)
amzn.eu/d/6QrSQ3h
* and only
Ramzan Kadyrov has now published a proof-of-life video of his son, Adam, in an attempt to dispel rumours that he had been seriously injured in a car accident in January.
February 11, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Ramzan Kadyrov has now published a proof-of-life video of his son, Adam, in an attempt to dispel rumours that he had been seriously injured in a car accident in January.
Russian lieutenant-general Vladimir Alekseyev, deputy head of what is widely known as the GRU, was seriously injured in an assassination attempt in Moscow last week.
February 9, 2026 at 12:22 PM
Russian lieutenant-general Vladimir Alekseyev, deputy head of what is widely known as the GRU, was seriously injured in an assassination attempt in Moscow last week.
The health of Adam Kadyrov, son and heir apparent to the Chechen leader, continues to be the subject of speculation. But, in the end, it doesn’t really matter whether he is alive or dead.
February 3, 2026 at 2:54 PM
The health of Adam Kadyrov, son and heir apparent to the Chechen leader, continues to be the subject of speculation. But, in the end, it doesn’t really matter whether he is alive or dead.
Two people have been killed in Dagestan following a shootout with police. According to the official account, the police stopped a suspicious vehicle and killed the occupants after they opened fire. No police were injured and weapons were seized.
January 30, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Two people have been killed in Dagestan following a shootout with police. According to the official account, the police stopped a suspicious vehicle and killed the occupants after they opened fire. No police were injured and weapons were seized.
Slowly but surely, the Russian Security Research Lab (RSRL) is coming to life.
I've been working on this for over a year, but most of the infrastructure is in place...
I've been working on this for over a year, but most of the infrastructure is in place...
January 28, 2026 at 3:35 PM
Slowly but surely, the Russian Security Research Lab (RSRL) is coming to life.
I've been working on this for over a year, but most of the infrastructure is in place...
I've been working on this for over a year, but most of the infrastructure is in place...
Vazhnyye istorii now claims Apti Alaudinov has fallen behind in the race to succeed Ramzan Kadyrov as head of Chechnya. In reality, he was always the weaker of the candidates.
January 26, 2026 at 1:33 PM
Vazhnyye istorii now claims Apti Alaudinov has fallen behind in the race to succeed Ramzan Kadyrov as head of Chechnya. In reality, he was always the weaker of the candidates.
Are you interested in debates about decolonisation in Russia? Well, then there's a special issue for you!
Problems of Post-Communism have just published our special issue on power and social hierarchies in the North Caucasus.
Problems of Post-Communism have just published our special issue on power and social hierarchies in the North Caucasus.
January 24, 2026 at 7:36 AM
Are you interested in debates about decolonisation in Russia? Well, then there's a special issue for you!
Problems of Post-Communism have just published our special issue on power and social hierarchies in the North Caucasus.
Problems of Post-Communism have just published our special issue on power and social hierarchies in the North Caucasus.
I have used both ChatGPT and Claude for a variety of business-related tasks. They can be genuinely useful, but sometimes they do things that are very worrying.
Exhibit A, which came appended to an actual answer to a question I posed:
Exhibit A, which came appended to an actual answer to a question I posed:
January 22, 2026 at 6:16 PM
I have used both ChatGPT and Claude for a variety of business-related tasks. They can be genuinely useful, but sometimes they do things that are very worrying.
Exhibit A, which came appended to an actual answer to a question I posed:
Exhibit A, which came appended to an actual answer to a question I posed:
Media outlets have reported that Adam Kadyrov, son and heir-aspirant of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, has been involved in an accident — with obvious implications for succession planning.
January 20, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Media outlets have reported that Adam Kadyrov, son and heir-aspirant of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, has been involved in an accident — with obvious implications for succession planning.
The Chechen parliament have now confirmed Akhmed Dudayev and Akhmat Kadyrov as deputy prime ministers. No surprise there, but it means they can drop 'acting' from their titles.
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/419...
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/419...
January 16, 2026 at 8:49 AM
The Chechen parliament have now confirmed Akhmed Dudayev and Akhmat Kadyrov as deputy prime ministers. No surprise there, but it means they can drop 'acting' from their titles.
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/419...
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/419...
Chechen Prime Minister Magomed Daudov claims that a total of 67,440 fighters in total have left Chechnya to help wage Russia's war on Ukraine. Of these, 23,774 are volunteers.
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/419...
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/419...
Даудов рапортовал об отправке из Чечни на СВО более 67 тысяч бойцов
Из Чечни в зону военной операции отправлены 67440 бойцов, отчитался глава правительства республики Магомед Даудов.
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu
January 14, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Chechen Prime Minister Magomed Daudov claims that a total of 67,440 fighters in total have left Chechnya to help wage Russia's war on Ukraine. Of these, 23,774 are volunteers.
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/419...
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/419...
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s family have expanded their portfolio of business assets further with the acquisition of an ice-cream factory in Novosibirsk.
January 14, 2026 at 4:08 PM
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s family have expanded their portfolio of business assets further with the acquisition of an ice-cream factory in Novosibirsk.
Five insights from reading @johnalechner.bsky.social's excellent new book on Wagner and the growth of Russian private military companies:
January 13, 2026 at 11:07 AM
Five insights from reading @johnalechner.bsky.social's excellent new book on Wagner and the growth of Russian private military companies:
The Chechen authorities have threatened to publicly shame bloggers who portray the republic in a negative light. In reality, this is nothing more than a confirmation of existing policy.
January 12, 2026 at 5:04 PM
The Chechen authorities have threatened to publicly shame bloggers who portray the republic in a negative light. In reality, this is nothing more than a confirmation of existing policy.
The FSB have accused Ukrainian security services of planning to blow up a railway bridge in Perm Kray.
The authorities claim that the Russian citizen detained as a result was tricked by telephone fraudsters into believing he was helping test antiterrorism measures.
rapsinews.ru/incident_new...
The authorities claim that the Russian citizen detained as a result was tricked by telephone fraudsters into believing he was helping test antiterrorism measures.
rapsinews.ru/incident_new...
ФСБ возбудила дело в отношении планировавшего подорвать ж/д мост в Пермском крае
Сотрудники правоохранительных органов возбудили уголовное дело в отношении планировавшего подорвать железнодорожный мост в Пермском крае, сообщили РАПСИ в пресс-службе Центра общественных связей ФСБ.
rapsinews.ru
January 12, 2026 at 4:45 PM
The FSB have accused Ukrainian security services of planning to blow up a railway bridge in Perm Kray.
The authorities claim that the Russian citizen detained as a result was tricked by telephone fraudsters into believing he was helping test antiterrorism measures.
rapsinews.ru/incident_new...
The authorities claim that the Russian citizen detained as a result was tricked by telephone fraudsters into believing he was helping test antiterrorism measures.
rapsinews.ru/incident_new...
Some random thoughts on using ChatGPT for research, since @jeremymorris.bsky.social has written a blog post about it and I've also spent a fair bit of time playing around with its capabilities.
postsocialism.org/2026/01/08/d...
postsocialism.org/2026/01/08/d...
Doing Russia research with ChatGPT (it doesn’t end well)
also think it’s underestimated how many researchers and academics just don’t really enjoy (or value) writing and will go to lengths to avoid it. Someone recently remarked: “bad papers now loo…
postsocialism.org
January 9, 2026 at 9:44 AM
Some random thoughts on using ChatGPT for research, since @jeremymorris.bsky.social has written a blog post about it and I've also spent a fair bit of time playing around with its capabilities.
postsocialism.org/2026/01/08/d...
postsocialism.org/2026/01/08/d...
Which parts of the North Caucasus experienced the most terrorism- and insurgency-related violence in 2025?
Every year, I publish an annual report based on a unique open-source incident database that I’ve compiled.
Every year, I publish an annual report based on a unique open-source incident database that I’ve compiled.
January 9, 2026 at 8:59 AM
Which parts of the North Caucasus experienced the most terrorism- and insurgency-related violence in 2025?
Every year, I publish an annual report based on a unique open-source incident database that I’ve compiled.
Every year, I publish an annual report based on a unique open-source incident database that I’ve compiled.
What did terrorism- and insurgency-related violence in the North Caucasus look like in 2025?
January 8, 2026 at 11:52 AM
What did terrorism- and insurgency-related violence in the North Caucasus look like in 2025?
Akhmat Kadyrov could be heir to the Chechen throne, but his recent appointment as the republic’s deputy prime minister isn’t the reason he could replace his father, Ramzan, as head.
January 7, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Akhmat Kadyrov could be heir to the Chechen throne, but his recent appointment as the republic’s deputy prime minister isn’t the reason he could replace his father, Ramzan, as head.
The Kadyrov family and their allies are regular recipients of a wide range of awards — many of which provoke laughter for being so undeserved. But the logic behind the awards is often missed.
January 6, 2026 at 9:54 AM
The Kadyrov family and their allies are regular recipients of a wide range of awards — many of which provoke laughter for being so undeserved. But the logic behind the awards is often missed.
At the end of December 2025, the security services reported on an operation against members of the Batalkhadzhintsy Brotherhood, which resulted in the detention of four brothers and eight others.
January 5, 2026 at 11:00 AM
At the end of December 2025, the security services reported on an operation against members of the Batalkhadzhintsy Brotherhood, which resulted in the detention of four brothers and eight others.
Chechnya's Mufti, Salakh-Khadzhi Mezhiyev, has repeated his claim that Russia's war on Ukraine is a "jihad" for all Muslims and a "holy battle against world evil, Satanists and followers of the devil."
Муфтий Чечни вновь назвал вторжение в Украину "священной войной" для всех мусульман
Муфтий Чечни и председатель координационного совета муфтиев Северного Кавказа Салах Межиев вновь назвал вторжение в Украину джихадом – священной войной для всех мусульман. Такое заявление он сделал на...
www.kavkazr.com
January 5, 2026 at 10:53 AM
Chechnya's Mufti, Salakh-Khadzhi Mezhiyev, has repeated his claim that Russia's war on Ukraine is a "jihad" for all Muslims and a "holy battle against world evil, Satanists and followers of the devil."
The Russian security services have claimed that they prevented a Ukraine-organised terrorist attack in Nalchik at the end of December.
January 5, 2026 at 10:45 AM
The Russian security services have claimed that they prevented a Ukraine-organised terrorist attack in Nalchik at the end of December.
The festive period has seen a flurry of renewed speculation over the health of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.
January 5, 2026 at 10:04 AM
The festive period has seen a flurry of renewed speculation over the health of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.
A court has sentenced a resident of Stavropol Kray to nine years in prison, having found him guilty of participating in the 1999 raid on Dagestan organised by Shamil Basayev and Emir Khattab.
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/417...
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/417...
Житель Ставрополья получил срок по делу о рейде Басаева на Дагестан
Суд приговорил к девяти годам колонии жителя Ставрополья Альберта Елакаева, признав его участником нападения группировки Шамиля Басаева на Дагестан в 1999 году.
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu
December 3, 2025 at 12:08 PM
A court has sentenced a resident of Stavropol Kray to nine years in prison, having found him guilty of participating in the 1999 raid on Dagestan organised by Shamil Basayev and Emir Khattab.
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/417...
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/articles/417...