Russia's credibility in the region was diminished by its backing of the Syrian regime, so it has limited cards to play. But Moscow stands to benefit from Western distraction in its war on Ukraine.
Kyiv now controls state-of-the-art armour. Its strategies will determine if the hardware can help change a complex war under skies it does not control, or if the arrival is just symbolic.
Politics were played down when Russia brought former Soviet states into a trading bloc to counter the EU. But suspicions over deeper motives were there from the start. Sanctions are a major test.
Microsoft customers will no longer be able to renew services in Russia. Meanwhile, local substitutes like Astra, RedOS, and BaseAlt vie for a higher market share.
After almost three decades, Azerbaijan has restored its sovereignty over Karabakh. More than half of 120,000 or so Armenians have already left and many more are expected to follow.
A once-unshakeable alliance has been disrupted by a one-sided dependency and a feeling of unrepaid loyalty as Putin's invasion of Ukraine echoes through his near-neighbours as well as the wider world
In a region where wider geopolitical change is taking hold, speculation about the depth and purpose of Moscow's ties with Khartoum has deepened throughout the civil war. Al Majalla explains.
Moscow's edge over Kyiv has been its naval power, as Ukraine has virtually no navy. But over the past few weeks, a successful Ukrainian offensive has helped tip the scales in the conflict.
The SDF commander rejects demands to disband his forces and tells Al Majalla in an exclusive interview that US-Russian tension east of the Euphrates is 'under control'
With various regional and global players having vested interests in the South Caucasus, resolving the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is ever more urgent. Al Majalla explains.
Any disruption in the Hormuz has cascading knock-on effects that extend far beyond energy markets, impacting international trade. Al Majalla explores all this and more.
The current conflict is unlikely to go global for now, but the speed at which it has spread regionally is alarming. A look at history shows the geopolitical factors that led to world wars.