Opinion

According to secret documents obtained by a Russian intelligence service, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, NATO planned to split Russia into several smaller parts, a former secret agent told Russia's Rossiya 1 broadcaster.

Newly declassified CIA documents emphasize the agency's significant role in the 1953 coup d'etat in Iran. While the CIA-led operation is still regarded by Washington as a "success," it actually led to dire consequences for both Iran and America, RIA Novosti contributor Vladimir Ardayev wrote.

The resignation of four French ministers in one week amid investigations into their alleged financial misconduct is unlikely to tarnish President Emmanuel Macron's image, whereas his tough position on the issue of lawmakers' accountability is well illustrated by the move, experts told Sputnik.

It appears that the US-EU "geopolitical marriage" is bursting at the seams due to the irresponsible foreign strategy of the US political elite, Russian economist Ivan Danilov wrote for RIA Novosti, revealing what could become the final straw for the long-lasting trans-Atlantic union.

Following the release of the much-discussed CIA Torture Report that shed light on the harsh interrogation methods used by US military and intelligence personnel, it was expected that Washington would bring this controversial practice to a halt. However, facts on the ground in Yemen prove otherwise.

Financing from Chinese banks may prove to be more expensive for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project, designed to transport Russian natural gas to Europe, experts told Sputnik.

The Pentagon continues to squander US taxpayer dollars on extravagant projects and meaningless initiatives, Sputnik contributor Alexander Khrolenko wrote, shedding light on the most glaring examples of the US Department of Defense wasting money.

The speculation about Russia's alleged plan to sell up to 24 Sukhoi T-50 (PAK FA) fifth-generation stealth fighters to Vietnam doesn't hold water, military aircraft expert Col. Makar Aksenenko told Sputnik, adding that the cutting-edge PAK FA fighters have to be mass produced first.

The appointment of Prince Mohammad bin Salman as the new heir to the throne has come as no surprise for Moscow, former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Andrei Baklanov told Radio Sputnik, sharing his views on the much-discussed power game in Riyadh.

When Tim Farron announced that he was standing down as the leader of the Liberal Democrats, he used the opportunity to make a very public point. Farron argued that it was "impossible" to reconcile his Christian faith with being the leader of a major UK political party.

The ancient Chinese philosopher and military strategist, Sun-Tzu, said it best: "The way of war is a way of deception."

A leak of the "secret" document on developing US-Russian relations, which was supposedly prepared by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, has prompted a heated debate. Speaking to Sputnik, political analyst Viktor Olevich and Russian academic Andrei Sidorov shed light on what could lie behind "the Tillerson plan."

Shortly after unrest erupted in early 2011, the European Union imposed economic sanctions on Syria, while also suspending, and ultimately terminating, many development projects. Noha Chuck, CEO of the Syrian Enterprise and Business Centre (SEBC), managed cooperation between Syria and the EU.

The latest air incident, which involved a NATO F-16 fighter that attempted to approach the plane of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu over neutral Baltic waters, has raised a lot of questions. Speaking to Sputnik, military observer Boris Rozhin and former Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Forces Pyotr Deinekin shed light on the matter.

Washington is seeking to persuade China to shoulder the burden of the fight against Daesh (ISIS/ISIL) in the Middle East, Russian scholar Azhdar Kurtov, military analyst Vladimir Evseev and Chinese expert Yang Mian told Sputnik, while explaining why Beijing is unlikely to accept this offer unconditionally.

According to experts, American stock index provider MSCI's move to include China's domestic shares in its emerging markets index may fall short of attracting major foreign investors.

Iraqi Kurdistan is determined to hold an independence referendum in accordance with all democratic norms and without political infighting, Keffah Mahmud, the information adviser to the Office of the President of the Kurdistan Region, told Sputnik, calling upon international organizations to take part in monitoring the vote.

Those who found themselves involved in the Clintons' charity network may find themselves in a whole heap of legal trouble, Wall Street analyst Charles Ortel warns, adding that the good news is that foreign governments which poured millions of dollars in the Clinton Foundation could recover their funds.

Washington's strategy in the Middle East could be compared with that pursued by the US in the Korean Peninsula, Turkish political analyst Ibrahim Varli told Sputnik, adding that the Qatari crisis appeared to be artificial from the very beginning.

Russia should use tougher language with Washington following the air incident in southern Raqqa, Colonel General Leonid Ivashov told RIA Novosti, adding that it seems that the US-led coalition deliberately gets in the way of the Syrian Arab Army's efforts to defeat Daesh (ISIS/ISIL).