Russia rejects appeal against Ukrainian filmmaker Sentsov’s 20-year sentence
Russia’s Supreme Court has refused to even consider the cassation appeal lodged against the sentences passed on world-renowned filmmaker Oleg Sentsov and civic activist Oleksandr Kolchenko. The move was predictable, yet still profoundly disturbing given the lack of any grounds for the charges and “Stalinist” nature of the trial. …read...
Transdniestrian settlement talks in the 5+2 format to take place in Berlin on 2-3 June for the first time in two years
BERLIN/CHISINAU, 1 June 2016 – Official negotiations on the Transdniestrian settlement process in the 5+2 format will take place in Berlin on 2 and 3 June 2016. This will be the first round of settlement talks in this format since June 2014. The two-day meeting will bring together representatives of the sides, mediators and observers in the...
Putin’s Domestic Strategy: Counting the Trees, Missing the Forest
Russian President Vladimir Putin strides the world as the master tactician. In Crimea, eastern Ukraine and Syria, he seized the initiative and left his adversaries flatfooted and guessing as to his ultimate intentions. …read more Source: Woodrow Wilson International Center for...
St. Petersburg Might Name Bridge for Kadyrov
A referendum could be the next step for the controversial decision to honor the late Chechen president, who fought Russian forces before switching sides. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Crimea is not a closed subject, Putin. It’s an open wound.
Disappearances, arrests, politically motivated trials and terrorization of Crimean Tatars and all dissident voices are taking place in Ukraine’s sovereign territory which Russia invaded and annexed. Business as usual makes our commitment to democratic values as empty as the threats Putin heard and ignored back in February 2014 …read...
Diverging Perceptions Between Russia and EU Complicate Solutions in Ukraine
Atlantische Initiative, publisher of atlantic-community.org, has concluded a German-language project “Germany and the Ukraine conflict” in which participants discussed their ideas on the causes and possible solutions for the Ukraine conflict with eminent policy-makers. Following this consultation, all parties deemed Russia a key...
Russian Manhandled Over Social Media Comment
Police brutally arrest man for alleged extremist online activity. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
IWP will present “Foreign Policy Audit: Ukraine-Belarus”
On June 8 the Institute of World Policy is going to present a discussion paper “Foreign Policy Audit: Ukraine-Belarus”. …read more Source: Institute of World...
Russian Deputy PM Says Losing Space Race to U.S.
After media backlash, Rogozin then backtracks, saying he didn’t mean it. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
OSCE Chief Monitor to Ukraine condemns violence against Special Monitoring Mission in the east
KYIV, 27 May 2016 – The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Ertugrul Apakan today expressed his dismay at two violent incidents putting SMM members in danger and preventing the Mission from effectively monitoring the situation in the conflict-affected east of Ukraine. An SMM patrol came under small-arms fire...
