Nate Schenkkan

I would expect Central Asia too?

🤝

Some of these overlap with the defense world because of how amorphous hybrid threats can be! I’m like the happy limes guy but with PDFs, and sad

Pop quiz: distinguish the European Democracy Shield, the Defence of Democracy Package, and the Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy

Update: I’m reading official European Union documents on democracy policy and I am drowning in acronyms

Kadyrov posts another video, apparently trying to dispel rumors about his failing health. Hilariously, the video (excerpted below) shows only fleeting images of Kadyrov, often filming him from behind or not at all. When he speaks (mostly off camera), he mumbles worse than ever. t.me/RKadyrov_95/...

Also, this is a complete retelling of the first few months of the war lol, Ukraine used conventional firepower and weapons to stop the Russian advance, not drone swarms lol

I also met someone in the wild who showed me what was clearly AI slop and thought it was real, things are going great

I encountered someone in the wild who had read the wacky Caitlin Clark op-ed in the WSJ and agreed with it. I blame the American educational system

Russia and Modern Fascism | Columbia University Press Russia seems to be hurtling toward fascism. Vladimir Putin and his allies—domestic and foreign—have obliterated and colonized Ukrainian cities in a “ho... | CUP

Taras Kuzio and I have spent the last 18 months on this project. We are certain that Russia embodies a new form of 21st century fascism.

Mike is a mensch and I admire that he’s fought on principle and the law every step of the way the attack on VOA

I’m reading official European Union documents on democracy policy and they are like letters from another civilization

Being an independent researcher is a new experience for me, but so far, I kind of like it. If you or someone you know is looking for a researcher with my expertise (TNR/foreign interference and regional: Turkey and former USSR, especially Central Asia), hit me up

Some personal news, as they say: along with friends and colleagues @zecsaky.bsky.social, @emiledirks.bsky.social, & @alexdukalskis.bsky.social, I’ll be writing a new research report for the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee on transnational repression for presentation in the fall

NATO Should Not Replace Traditional Firepower with ‘Drones’ Over-reliance on uncrewed aerial systems or ‘drones’ is leading to significant problems for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and is not something Western militaries should attempt to replicate

An important corrective to the idea that drones render fighter jets obsolete.

"Over-reliance on uncrewed aerial systems or ‘drones’ is leading to significant problems for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and is not something Western militaries should attempt to replicate." www.rusi.org/explore-our-...

What will the children read my brother in Christ there are like 100 books in this series

Of course I have no idea what this means for his career or whatever, but as far as I can tell reading remains undefeated in terms of learning

As a parent of a young voracious reader, I can’t stress enough how astonishing reading continues to be for developing various skills

I’m far from an expert in this, but my secondhand experience is there is a lot of passion about opportunity and the idea of getting ahead in America through hard work among these communities that was mobilized against affirmative action and could also be in play here

There’s lies, damn lies, and statistics you don’t like

A smart political strategy would involve talking about this a lot in the languages and places where these communities have their arguments—something Republicans have done really well around affirmative action and public safety

The same pattern showed up in NYC. This stuff works! But a lot of places still affirmatively ban speed cameras. We just don't want to stop speeding as a culture, regardless of how many traffic deaths we end up with.

The problem with the horse-race coverage of Trump II is that, across the board, he is destroying nonzero sum arrangements: rule of law, institutions, collective goods, trade relationships, alliances.

So what the media portrays as a win for Trump is usually a net loss for everyone, including the US.

Massive and intentional destruction of one of the largest engines of the US economy and foundations for our vibrant culture. We prospered from attracting the best and brightest from around the world who all wanted to study and work here. Now we build walls and threaten those who do come

As a onetime Texan who reads nutrition labels, who the hell eats 2 tablespoons of salsa?

The US could see a 30-40% decline in new international student enrollment, resulting in nearly $7 billion in lost revenue and more than 60,000 fewer American jobs. https://www.nafsa.org/fall-2025-international-student-enrollment-outlook-and-economic-impact

Any NYC-based lawyers with an interest in transnational repression interested in a chat?

Something to look forward to

How the Ali Act overhaul is clearing the path for a Saudi-backed takeover of boxing Ari Emanuel’s TKO and Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority are poised to reshape boxing with a new bill that weakens federal oversight and revives concerns over fighter exploitation

TKO's Saudi-backed takeover of boxing underscores the kingdom's broader strategy in sports – acquiring influence, shaping narratives and establishing self-sustaining ecosystems under its control.

My latest for @theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/a...

Bluesky friends, I've been trying to get my hands on a physical copy of this book, alas to no avail. I was wondering if anyone might have any tips for online bookshops/other places where I might find one, I'd be really grateful.