Ukraine Pleads for Russian Financial Mercy
Yanukovych’s bond sale to Russia could lead Ukraine to default, IMF to cut funds. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Russians Crowdfund Mission to Verify U.S. Moon Landings
Tiny satellite will photograph sites visited by Apollo missions. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Putin’s deafness on Syria
It would be easy to get the impression from media coverage that Putin’s decision to intervene militarily in Syria is some kind of genius strategic move — a bold and brilliant gambit that will weaken the US in the Middle East, or at least dramatically limit its influence in the region. Headlines this week have blared that Putin has...
Low Oil Prices Push Russian Budget Toward the Red
Despite talk of an oil producers’ pow-wow, Moscow seen as unlikely to join OPEC. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Russian Violation of Turkish Airspace ‘No Accident’: NATO
Analysts warn of Islamist backlash in the Russian homeland. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Why we shouldn’t let Russia fight the Islamic State
Donald Trump says: “Let [Russia] get rid of ISIS. What the hell do we care?” It is a fair question. What harm could come from letting Russian President Vladimir Putin take on this fight for us in Syria?The answer is: plenty.First, Russia is not fighting the Islamic State. According to the Institute for the Study of War, the Russian strikes have...
Critical Belarusian News Sites Blocked
DDOS attack on independent media comes ahead of authoritarian leader’s near certain re-election. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Managed Nationalism: Contemporary Russian Nationalistic Movements and their Relationship to the Government
This paper examines the ideologies of nationalist movements in Russia as well as the relationship between these movements and the state. More specifically, the author 1) examines the nationalist Eurasian Youth Union and Russian March; 2) how these two groups responded to various events in the Ukraine crisis that began in 2013 and Russia’s...
Ukraine Reform Monitor: October 2015
Despite the growing scale and scope of reform activity and increasing support for it, the overall effort appears to be suffering from a lack of strategic direction. …read more Source: Carnegie Endowment for International...
Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 4 October 2015
This report is for the media and general public. The SMM monitored the implementation of the “Package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk agreements”. Its monitoring was restricted by the parties and security considerations*. The situation in Donetsk and Luhansk remained generally calm. The SMM heard some explosions and small-arms...

