RSI Connect: Understanding the Russian Way of War

Panelist: Bettina Renz
Professor of International Security at the School of Politics and International Relations

Dr. Renz is a Professor of International Security at the University of Nottingham’s School of Politics and International Relations. Having completed her MA and MSc degrees in Russian Studies at the University of Edinburgh, she graduated with a PhD from the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Russian and East European Studies in 2006. She has previously lectured for King’s College London at the Royal Air Force College and was a distinguished visiting professor at the Canadian Forces College in 2020. Dr. Renz's major area of research expertise is Russian security and defence policy in the post-Cold war era. She has published widely on military reforms, strategic thinking, civil-military relations and military operations other than war. Her latest monograph, Russia's Military Revival, was published with Polity in 2018. Professor Renz has extensive experience in collaborating with networks of scholars both in the UK and internationally, as well as in knowledge-exchange with non-academic audiences and military practitioners. A full list of publication and further information is available on Professor Renz’s profile on the University’s website: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/politics/people/bettina.renz

Panelist: Kristin Ven Bruusgaard
Assistant Professor of Political Science at University of Oslo

Dr. Kristin Ven Bruusgaard is a Postdoctoral Fellow (Assistant Professor) of Political Science at the University of Oslo, where she is part of the Oslo Nuclear Project. Her research focuses on nuclear and conventional military strategy, nuclear deterrence and crisis dynamics, the role of information warfare in peace and conflict with an emphasis on Russian strategy and European security. She has previously been a Nuclear Security Postdoctoral Fellow and a Stanton Nuclear Security Predoctoral Fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), Stanford University, a Research Fellow at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS), a senior security policy analyst in the Norwegian Armed Forces and a sergeant/junior researcher at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI). She has also worked at the Congressional Research Service in the U.S. Library of Congress, in the Norwegian Delegation to the EU and at NATO HQ. She holds a Ph.D. in Defence Studies from King’s College London, an M.A. in Security Studies from Georgetown University, a B.A. (Hons) in Politics and International Studies from the University of Warwick. She is a certified language officer in the Norwegian Army. Her work has been published in Security Dialogue, Journal of Strategic Studies, Survival, War on the Rocks, Texas National Security Review, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

Panelist: Jānis Bērziņš
Director, Center for Security and Strategic Research, National Defense Academy of Latvia

Dr. Jānis Bērziņš is the director of the Center for Security and Strategic Research (CSSR) at the National Defense Academy of Latvia, a non-resident researcher fellow and advisor at the Swedish Defence Uni-versity, a senior fellow at Center for the Study of New Generation Warfare, and The Potomac Foundation. His work focuses on the juxtaposition between the theoretical developments of Russian Military Thought and the operational reality on the ground. This includes both the hybrid and conventional aspects of warfare, such as influence, information, and psychological operations. Dr. Berzins has lectured as a guest in the United States, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Singapore, Belgium, Brazil, Estonia and Lithuania at various academic and defense institutions. They include the New York University, the Johns Hopkins University, the George C. Marshall Center European Center for Security Studies, the Swedish Defense University, the Swedish Defense Research Agency, the Norwegian Military Academy, the US Army’s Asymmetric Warfare Group, the NATO’s Special Operations Command Europe, the NATO/SHAPE Brunssum Headquarters, among others. Dr. Berzins has advised the United Kingdom House of Commons’ Defense Select Committee, the Parliament of Singapore, the Swedish Government and the Polish Government. He has advised the Ministry of Defense of Singapore regarding Strategic Communications and influence, influence, information, and psychological operations. He has also provided expertise about Russia’s doctrine for the US Department of Defense and Russia's strategic issues for the private sector.