Sergey Radchenko

Sergey Radchenko is the Wilson E. Schmidt Distinguished Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS Europe). His research focuses on Cold War history, nuclear strategy, and the foreign policies of Russia and China. He has held positions at institutions including East China Normal University and the Woodrow Wilson Center as a Global Fellow. Radchenko holds a PhD from the London School of Economics (2005) and has extensive experience in Mongolia, China, and Wales. His work explores Sino-Soviet rivalry, Soviet expansion in Asia, and the geopolitical impacts of Cold War decisions. Notable works include To Run the World: the Kremlin’s Cold War Bid for Global Power (2024) and Two Suns in the Heavens: the Sino-Soviet Struggle for Supremacy (2009).

His research interests span Soviet strategy in Asia, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and post-Cold War Russian foreign policy. Recent studies analyze defector dynamics in the Cold War and NATO’s contested history. He has written extensively on Mongolia’s geopolitical position between China and Russia, as well as the legacy of Cold War arms races and diplomatic negotiations. Radchenko’s interdisciplinary approach combines diplomatic history with geopolitical analysis, emphasizing how historical Cold War decisions shape modern international relations.

Professional affiliations include:

• Johns Hopkins SAIS Europe
• Woodrow Wilson Center (Global Fellow)
• Zi Jiang Distinguished Professor (East China Normal University)

His academic contributions bridge archival research with contemporary strategic analysis, particularly on nuclear diplomacy and the evolution of Asian geopolitical alliances. Though no formal grants or lab affiliations are explicitly noted, his prolific publication record underscores sustained engagement with international policy and historical scholarship.