In addition to writing for Aviation Week Network, Maxim holds a key position at Russia's Air Transport Observer magazine (www.ato.ru). In the past he was in charge of several ATO sister aerospace publications and earlier worked for the Moscow-based CAST defense think-tank.
Maxim has a degree on international relations from MGIMO University, Moscow, Russia, and for several years worked at the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The conflict in Ukraine has increased the visibility of Russia’s military transformation, which Putin began at the start of his first term as president.
Russia is determined to continue to strengthen the military, which it exploits for foreign policy goals and internal propaganda, however shrinking budgets—due to soft oil prices and a slumping national currency—have cast uncertainty on these plans.
