Candace Rondeaux

United States

Senior Director, Future Frontlines at New America

Senior Director, Future Frontlines @NewFrontlines @NewAmerica Professor @ASU @Future_of_War Columnist @WPReview: Writes about Planetary Politics @PlanetaryPol

Articles

Putin's Sledgehammer: The Wagner Group & Russia's Collapse into Mercenary Chaos

1 week ago | newamerica.org | Candace Rondeaux

Candace Rondeaux examines Russia’s descent into mercenary chaos, revealing how one local crime boss leveraged black markets and Kremlin infighting to build a private army. Her analysis in her latest book, Putin's Sledgehammer: The Wagner Group & Russia's Collapse into Mercenary Chaos, traces the roots of this shadow force to the heart of state collapse.
The Legal Counteroffensive to Russia’s Hybrid War

2 weeks ago | newamerica.org | Candace Rondeaux

In Lawfare, Candace Rondeaux reveals how Wagner has morphed from a brutal mercenary outfit into a covert arm of Russian intelligence. A Polish espionage trial—the first hybrid warfare conviction since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—exposes the network’s deepening role in Moscow’s sabotage operations across Europe. Read here.
The Legal Counteroffensive to Russia’s Hybrid War

2 weeks ago | lawfaremedia.org | Candace Rondeaux

Editor's Note: Russia has engaged in sabotage and other gray zone warfare in Europe, but now some states are fighting back. Arizona State's Candace Rondeaux describes Poland's successful prosecutions of Wagner Group members and how this is complicating Moscow's operations there. Daniel Byman***A landmark espionage case in Poland has established a crucial new legal precedent for prosecuting hybrid warfare operations in Europe. On Feb.
Trump’s Global Funding Cuts Leave a Void in Africa For Rivals to Exploit

1 month ago | newamerica.org | Candace Rondeaux

Senior Director Candace Rondeaux gave the Washington Post background on Russia and the Wagner Group's presence in Africa from Libya to the Sahel, highlighting how extracted gold and other resources have allowed the circumvention of American and European sanctions. Read here.
Criminal Proxies: The Hidden Hand of States

1 month ago | newamerica.org | Candace Rondeaux

Candace Rondeaux joined an episode of Geocriminality, hosted by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, to explain why the Russian government relies on proxy actors like the Wagner Group. What are the interests driving the Russia-UAE alliance?
War, Politics, and Power: The Global Impact of the Ukraine-Russia Conflict

1 month ago | newamerica.org | Candace Rondeaux

Senior Director Candace Rondeaux was interviewed by Dr. Kaye for WEAA's Today with Dr. Kaye on February 24th to discuss the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, marking three years of war, weigh in on Trump's handling of international negotiations, and highlight the need for global support for Ukraine to prevent a larger geopolitical crisis. The recording is now available. Listen here.
Unmasking Maskov: How Bellingcat Found a Man Outfitting Russian Neo-Nazis

1 month ago | newamerica.org | Candace Rondeaux

Senior Director Candace Rondeaux features as an expert source in Bellingcat's research into how Wagner and other related mercenary organizations have used online marketing and fashion to promote, legitimize, and normalize Russian far-right ideology. Read here.
The Wagner Group's Inner Circle

1 month ago | newamerica.org | Ben Dalton |Candace Rondeaux

This blog post offers an overview of key figures in the Wagner Group-Russian government nexus, supplementing our comprehensive report. For a full analysis and deeper insights, we encourage readers to explore the complete report, The Wagner Group’s Little Black Book: Decoding Command and Control of Russia’s Irregular Forces.
What Does China’s DeepSeek Mean for the Future of AI Global Governance?

2 months ago | newamerica.org | Candace Rondeaux |Akash Kapur

As policymakers and tech luminaries descend on Paris for next week’s AI Action Summit, they are already finding their carefully crafted agenda upended by an unexpected gatecrash: DeepSeek. The Chinese firm claims to have developed a large language model rivaling the best American offerings, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, at a fraction of the usual cost.
The Wagner Group in Court: Justice Is Catching Up with Russia’s Top Irregular Warfighters

Dec 17, 2024 | justsecurity.org | Candace Rondeaux

Justice is beginning to close in on Russia’s premier paramilitary force, the Wagner Group. In late October, Polish prosecutors launched an espionage trial for two Russian men charged with disseminating Wagner propaganda in Warsaw and Krakow. Those charges followed a decision in June by Norwegian authorities in Oslo to bring assault charges against a Wagner Group defector who had made a dramatic escape across the Arctic Circle.