Centre for Finance and Security (CFS) at RUSI

Thanks Radix! We look forward to tackling this critical issue.

New #STR Podcast: Economic Statecraft and Economic Security in Global Affairs

Kimberly Donovan @atlanticcouncil.bsky.social speaks with Kinga Redlowska about the key differences between economic security & economic statecraft.

🎧 Listen and subscribe

Apple: bit.ly/4mOB1gw
Spotify: bit.ly/42UO0WQ

Strategising the Use of Sanctions

Wally Adeyemo, former US Deputy Treasury Secretary, argues the effective use of sanctions requires clear objectives & outcomes, multilateral coordination & rigorous enforcement; overuse can have unintended consequences.

Apple bit.ly/46yFPAG
Spotify bit.ly/3W49IUq

Teaching the Business and Art of Sanctions Circumvention If universities in the West teach courses on sanctions and economic warfare, we shouldn’t be surprised by the emergence of a parallel world teaching the art of circumvention.

ICYMI: Teaching the Business & Art of Sanctions Circumvention

If universities in the West teach courses on sanctions & economic warfare, we shouldn’t be surprised by the emergence of a parallel world teaching the art of circumvention, writes @keatingetom.bsky.social

bit.ly/3JnGAo7

Following the Fraud: The Role of Money Mules This paper discusses the rising issue of fraud in the UK, particularly focusing on the role of money mules in facilitating authorised push payment fraud and the implications for national security and ...

Following the Fraud: The Role of Money Mules

This new paper looks at the banking activity of ‘money mules’, who lend their accounts to criminals to help hide their ill-got gains, to shed light on this growing problem. 🫏

Read: bit.ly/4mpRJ6B

Assessing Terrorist Use of Virtual Asset Intermediaries — Project CRAAFT This research briefing by Allison Owen examines intermediary services that convert virtual assets to fiat currency in cases related to three groups: Hamas, Hezbollah and ISIS. This research brief is b...

📢 Check out this new Research Briefing from
Project Craaft - Assessing Terrorist Use of Virtual Asset Intermediaries

Terrorist groups’ experimentation with VAs highlights the growing need to understand integrated intermediary services that convert such funds into fiat currency.

🔗 bit.ly/44xaf6A

Beware the Robots: AI-Enabled Sanctions Evasion is Here The era of artificial intelligence as an ‘emerging technology’ is over; the dawn of AI-enabled sanctions evasion is here, threatening to fundamentally reshape global financial security.

📢 New Commentary – Beware the Robots: AI-Enabled Sanctions Evasion is Here

🤖 The dawn of AI-enabled sanctions evasion threatens to fundamentally reshape global financial security. Those who police the implementation & evasion of sanctions need to radically rethink how they respond.

bit.ly/44PtyYF

🔊The STR season finale is NOW LIVE!

Tom & Kinga look back on the highlights from the past 21 episodes – from sanctions and statecraft to assessing the new Labour government’s progress against illicit finance.

Apple: bit.ly/4kiC9aV
Spotify: bit.ly/4ny8w8h
RUSI website: bit.ly/4lGLRoQ

The Future of UK Sanctions is About More Than Implementation and Enforcement The government’s recently published sanctions strategy under-promises, overdelivers and sets a vision for the future use of sanctions. Now the work begins.

📢 New Commentary: The Future of UK Sanctions is About More Than Implementation and Enforcement

The government’s recently published sanctions strategy under-promises, overdelivers and sets a vision for the future use of sanctions. Now the work begins.

Read: bit.ly/44tmgbR

Virtual Threats: Terrorist Financing via Online Gaming | RUSI Webinar 18 June 2025 This online webinar brings together Gonzalo Saiz, Research Fellow at CFS and author of the research briefing, and Jessica Davis, an expert on terrorism and illicit financing, to discuss how terrorist and extremist groups exploit online gaming platforms for fundraising activities. The session reviews documented cases, analyse the ways gaming and related platforms facilitate financial support for extremist activities, and outline targeted policy recommendations to address these emerging risks. This webinar event is supported by the NATO Science for Peace and Security (SPS) Programme.

📢 New webinar recording – Virtual Threats: Terrorist Financing via Online Gaming

How terrorist and extremist groups exploit online gaming platforms for fundraising, from in-game transactions to the development of bespoke games or livestream donations.

📽️ Watch the recording: bit.ly/40wRpK9

A Year of Labour: Assessing the UK’s Progress Against Illicit Finance Podcast Episode · STR: Suspicious Transaction Report · 20/06/2025 · 34m

🔊 With the new UK National Security Strategy recognising that all elements of UK security are supported by our ability to tackle illicit finance, our latest #STRpodcast checks in on the progress made by the Labour government on tackling illicit finance after one year in office.

🎧 bit.ly/3FZD8yS

Episode 20: Moldova's Elections: Fighting Financial Interference A look behind the curtain at the financial dimension of Russia’s attempts to undermine Moldova’s 2024 presidential election and EU referendum.

🔊 Don’t forget to check out the latest STR podcast - Moldova's Elections: Fighting Financial Interference

@keatingetom.bsky.social speaks with Veronica Dragalin about the financial dimension of Russia’s attempts to undermine Moldova’s 2024 presidential election & EU referendum

🎧 bit.ly/4kr6HrL

Rethinking Whistleblowing in the Age of Global Sanctions Whistleblowers could transform the UK’s sanctions enforcement regime, if the law catches up.

📢 New Commentary: Rethinking Whistleblowing in the Age of Global Sanctions

How can recent policy developments on whistleblowing across the EU, UK & US be used to enhance sanctions enforcement & what more needs to be done?

Find out here: bit.ly/4mVVyB4

The War on Fraud: How the UK can Step Up to the 21st Century Crime Wave The latest UK fraud statistics put pressure on the UK government’s future Fraud Strategy to finally take decisive action

📢The War on Fraud: How the UK Can Step Up to the 21st Century Crime Wave

The latest UK fraud statistics put pressure on the UK government’s future Fraud Strategy to finally take decisive action.

Here's what it should do... 👇👇👇

bit.ly/4kDIJcD

SIFMANet: Sanctions and Illicit Finance Monitoring and Analysis Network: Yerevan Report This report synthesises the insights collected during the Yerevan roundtable held to evaluate Armenia’s response to geopolitical pressures, to assess enforcement of sanctions frameworks and examine vu...

📢 New Report Alert! By @irinamamulashvili.bsky.social and Kinga Redlowska

Our latest SIFMANet report from Yerevan dives into two urgent challenges: how Armenia is navigating international sanctions—and how illicit money may influence its 2026 elections.

Read the full report here: bit.ly/4kFbpSw

Episode 19: Strengthening the Financial Frontline on Russia Trade Sanctions How the compliance systems of financial institutions have adapted in response to post-2022 trade restrictions on Russia.

🔊 LIVE NOW !! The latest STR podcast: Strengthening the Financial Frontline on Russia Trade Sanctions

How banks have responded to the ever-mounting expectations placed on them by governments in their effort to restrict the funding of the Russian military.

🎧 Tune in to learn more: bit.ly/3HmrZbn

Episode 17: The Financial Dimension of Online Child Sexual Exploitation A new report from the Financial Action Task Force examines how financial intelligence can be used to protect children from online sexual exploitation.

🔊 Don’t forget to check out the latest episode of the SRT podcast - Chokepoints: How the Global Economy Became a Weapon of War

Sanctions are the go-to policy tool of our times, yet the lessons of the past are often forgotten by those at the centre of the world's stage today.

🎧 bit.ly/43ehWwj

🔊 LIVE NOW

The latest Suspicious Transaction Report is here! Don’t miss this new episode - Chokepoints: How the Global Economy Became a Weapon of War

@keatingetom.bsky.social and @edwardfishman.bsky.social discuss Eddie's new book.

🎧 Tune in to learn more: lnkd.in/e_zrRagt

Tapped Out: It is Time to Revisit Oil Sanctions on Russia Despite the G7’s efforts, oil revenue is still filling the Kremlin’s coffers. A new approach to restricting Russian income is needed.

Is it time to revisit the design of oil sanctions on Russia?

In this latest #RUSIcommentary, @keatingetom.bsky.social argues that despite the G7’s efforts, oil revenue is still filling the Kremlin’s coffers and unintended consequences abound.

Read why a new approach is needed 👇

bit.ly/42XAYar

📢LIVE NOW! Dark Money & Disinformation: The Battle for Electoral Integrity

Check out the recording of our recent event – with
@keatingetom.bsky.social, Darren Hughes @electoralreform.bsky.social and @ginasue.bsky.social @mctd.bsky.social

📽️http://bit.ly/4cVEpD7

Strengthening the UK's Response to Illicit Finance This Policy Brief presents an assessment of the current UK system to counter illicit finance, the identification of key missing elements, and an analysis of implications and root causes of the UK's ap...

📣 New Policy Brief: Strengthening the UK's Response to Illicit Finance

Josie Stewart, CFS Associate Fellow, presents an assessment of the current UK system to counter illicit finance, identifying fundamental structural weaknesses and recommending urgent reforms.

Read: bit.ly/4m0NDSH

Trump’s Tariffs are Replacing Sanctions Trump’s shift to unilateral tariff enforcement weakens the international systems on which sanctions depend. Europe must lead in rebuilding credible enforcement.

📢President Trump’s shift to unilateral tariff enforcement weakens the international systems on which sanctions depend, argues Shilo Grayson in our latest #RUSIcommentary.

Read on below to find out why 👇👇👇

bit.ly/4cQoIwJ

UK Sanctions Implementation and Strategy Taskforce: Ransomware Sanctions This conference report covers the discussions at a February 2025 online workshop on the UK’s experience with ransomware sanctions to date.

📢 New report: UK Sanctions Implementation Strategy Taskforce – Ransomware Sanctions

The report captures insights from a high-level workshop held in February 2025, gathering 35 experts across government, industry, & academia to evaluate the UK’s ransomware sanctions regime.

Here: bit.ly/42HKUEN

🚢 As the shadow fleet continues to threaten international security and the environment, the CFS has partnered with Windward for a timely masterclass to unpack the evolving risk landscape.

Register here: bit.ly/42BWHEx

Dark Money & Disinformation: The Battle for Electoral Integrity Join us for a discussion on the financial dimension of foreign interference in democratic processes.

📣 Join us for ‘Dark Money & Disinformation: The Battle for Electoral Integrity’.

💸 As the UK prepares for its upcoming local and mayoral elections, ensuring the integrity of the political process is more important than ever.

29 April, 17:00-18:30

🔗 Reg: bit.ly/4lv8TzA

🔊 LIVE NOW

The latest #STRPodcast episode is here! Don’t miss: The Future of Frozen Russian Assets

Kinga Redlowska, Anton Moiseienko, and Tom Keatinge discuss how frozen Russian assets can support Ukraine's reconstruction and uphold the credibility of EU sanctions.

🎧 Tune in here: bit.ly/4ceRrLr

📢 New commentary: Can the Middle Corridor be Europe's Middle Ground?

For Europe, managing expectations & addressing concerns on the ground will be just as crucial as making physical investments in ensuring the success of the Middle Corridor, argue Olivia Allison & Arzu Abbasova.

🔗 bit.ly/42i6EIh

Developing Economic Security in Europe | Finance and Security in Brief | CFS at RUSI In this video from our 'Finance and Security in Brief' series, Tom Keatinge, Director of CFS at RUSI, discusses the rapidly growing importance of economic security in Europe. He explains why nations are reassessing their economic security in response to geopolitical shifts and highlights key EU efforts. Tom also shares insights on the CFS European Economic Security Taskforce, which brings together policymakers, academia, and the private sector to tackle this critical issue.

🌍 As geopolitical dynamics shift, nations across Europe are reevaluating their approach to economic security.

Tom Keatinge discusses why this reassessment is happening, key EU initiatives shaping Europe’s economic security, & insights from the CFS Economic Security Taskforce

Watch: bit.ly/4hv7C8q

Democracy’s Weakest Link: Foreign Money and Political Influence As threats from hostile states rise, the defences of Western democracies against financial interference remain dangerously weak.

📣Democracy’s Weakest Link: Foreign Money & Political Influence

Hostile states are increasingly using opaque financial flows & social media manipulation to undermine democratic processes & institutions.

Read more in this latest #RUSI commentary by Tom Keatinge & Eliza Lockhart bit.ly/4kBpcdD

A New Frontier: Organised Immigration Crime and UK Sanctions The UK government has announced a new sanctions regime targeting organised immigration crime. How does it ensure these new sanctions have teeth?

A New Frontier: Organised Immigration Crime & UK Sanctions

Follow the money, freeze the assets, and smash the gangs – a beguiling vision recently articulated by Keir Starmer and David Lammy.

But can their 'world's first' sanctions regime work?

Read this new RUSI Commentary here: bit.ly/4axWgyD