Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences
The Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (), formerly Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences, is a Russian research institution for the study of the countries and cultures of Asia and North Africa. The institute is located in Moscow, and formerly in Saint Petersburg, but in 2007 the Saint Petersburg branch was reorganized into a separate Institute of Oriental Manuscripts. History. The Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) history began in 1818, when an Asiatic Museum under the  Imperial Academy of Sciences was set up in St. Petersburg. It was a depository of oriental manuscripts, a museum with exposition for visitors, a scientific and organizing center for oriental studies as well as a library for academic research. At the beginning of the 20th century, by the 100th anniversary of its foundation, the Asian Museum became a major Oriental center with a collection of manuscripts in 45 oriental languages and a library. In 1929-30 the Oriental Department of the Academy of Sciences was reorganized, and the Institute of Oriental Studies was created on the basis of the Museum  under the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. In 1950 the institute was transferred to Moscow. At the end of the 1950s the institute became a center of oriental studies, the largest one in the USSR. Iosif Amusin was a noted research fellow at the institute around this time. Now, the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a research center where history and culture, economics and politics, languages and literature of the countries of Asia and North Africa are studied. The chronology covers all periods of the history of the Orient - from antiquity to the  present day. About 500 experts work there. Most scientific centers and departments of the institute conduct research on certain countries and regions (e.g., Center for Arab Studies, Center for Japanese Studies, Center for Indian Studies, etc.). Some departments conduct research on problems of the Orient (in particular, the Center for Energy and Transport Studies, etc.). The institute’s depositories contain ancient books and manuscripts, exceeding one million volumes. Conferences of the institute include: The institute develops contacts with the Indian Council for Social Sciences Researches and with some universities of India, with the International Association for Mongol Studies as well  as with the scientific and non-governmental organization of Arab countries (e.g. ALECSO). Institute publishing includes the following: The institute founded the Oriental University (www.orun.ru), which trains experts in regional studies and orientalists for scientific and teaching work, public service, to work at international organizations and commercial enterprises, etc. The programs of training, textbooks and original methods have been worked out by the scholars of the Institute of Oriental Studies. Internet journal "New Eastern Outlook". According to its website, this journal primarily focuses on the region from "Japan and the remote coasts of Africa" but also examines events elsewhere "as  they relate to the Orient." In 2019, Kevin Poulsen in "The Daily Beast" accused it of being a source of Russian propaganda and fake news. In 2017, "Politico" published the titles of some article appearing in "New Eastern Outlook": According to the United States Department of State (2020), the journal is a "pillar of Russia's disinformation and propaganda system", which "promotes disinformation and propaganda focused primarily on the Middle East, Asia, and Africa...while also obscuring its links to state-funded institutions." Articles from "New Eastern Outlook" have been published by the American conspiracy site "Veterans Today", a partnership  which began in 2013. Partnerships and collaborations. Partnerships in international programs of scientific cooperation, research projects and publishing programs, representation in academic institutions of near and distant foreign countries, participation in international expeditions, conferences and seminars, teaching activity abroad in the sphere of Orientalism, training courses of members of the Institute at foreign universities and visits of trainers from abroad, membership in international Oriental associations and in societies of business, cultural and humanitarian cooperation. There are scientific contacts with Turkey, India, Egypt, Japan, Iran, and China. Institute research topics have included: Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of