As a Research Analyst at The Plakhov Group, Nikolai is currently working on Quick Takes, Podcast Summaries, and Event Reports.

Nikolai's research covers topics including US-Russia relations, Arctic security, and economic warfare. He holds over two years of professional experience in Washington, D.C. and Ottawa. Having interned at The U.S. Russia Foundation and working as a Junior Policy Analyst for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, Nikolai has researched Russian domestic and military affairs and produced briefing products on European and Arctic security. He has acted as a research assistant for UBC's CENES and Political Science departments.

Nikolai is in his last semester at the University of British Columbia studying International Relations and Russian. During his degree, he has published and presented works on economic warfare, Russian civil society, and contemporary US-Russia security affairs at UBC's CENES department, its Journal of International Affairs, and New York University's Jordan Centre Research Symposium. He has a working proficiency in Russian.