The Unraveling Of Moscow’s ’Novorossia’ Dream
Details of how Russia’s Novorossiya project arose and ultimately fell have been hard to come by, but Aleksandr, a Moscow businessman had a front-row seat as an insider in Crimea and agreed to tell RFE/RL what became of the dream he still cherishes, despite the disenchantment of his months in Crimea …read more Source: Kharkiv Human...
Russia is showing uncharacteristic prudence—Why, and will it last?
With the NATO summit in Warsaw coming up in July, the rhetoric in many Western quarters is becoming shriller about the need to contain Russian aggression. There are good reasons for concern about Russia’s intentions and capabilities, as elaborated at the recent Lennart Meri conference in Tallinn. But in the last couple of months, Moscow has...
Russians See U.S. as Biggest Enemy, By Far
Not surprisingly, Turkey and Ukraine don’t fare very well either. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Russian Food Ban Modified
But, except for baby food products, ban stays in place to punish Western countries for sanctions against Russia over Ukraine. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Germany’s Foreign Minister Steinmeier welcomes resumption of negotiations on the Transdniestria conflict
BERLIN, 2 June 2016 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier today welcomed the resumption of negotiations on the Transdniestria conflict from 2 to 3 June 2016 in the guesthouse of Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, Villa Borsig, in Berlin: “The German Chairmanship is resolved to focus efforts on...
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...
