The Kremlin’s Shifting, Self-Contradicting Narratives on MH17
Just a few hours after the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 (MH17), the circumstances that caused the tragedy came to light: a Buk-M1 Russian-made anti-aircraft missile system was fired by either Russian-led separatists or Russian forces from an area near Snizhne, Ukraine, leading to the death of 298 civilians aboard the passenger plane....
In Syria, an Attack on Russia’s Narrative
By Jacob L. Shapiro It has been less than a month since President Vladimir Putin declared a successful end to Russia’s intervention in the Syrian civil war and announced the imminent withdrawal of Russian forces from the country. Not even a fortnight later, Islamist militants conducted a deadly mortar attack against Russian forces in Syria....
Watch List: Jan. 3, 2018
The items listed below represent potential emerging issues that our analysts are tracking. These can be long term or short term, but will be updated daily. If an item on our Watch List becomes critical, we will email you a full analysis explaining its significance. Each Saturday, we will follow up our daily Watch List for each week with our...
Nine Things Ukraine Should Do in 2018
As Ukraine enters 2018, a year which precedes the presidential and parliamentary elections, it is important to examine the results of 2017 and identify the areas where the international community can help Ukraine’s reformers secure tangible progress. We have identified nine priority areas. …read more Source: Kharkiv Human Rights...
Armed Conflict in 2017 Part One: The Rohingya Crisis, Africa and Ukraine
First, the good news: In general, as a global trend, the prevalence of armed conflict has been reducing consistently throughout the twenty-first century, with less deaths overall and a reduction of inter-state conflict. Data from the Global Peace Index demonstrates that this continued into 2016, and while we await reports for 2017, this trend is...
Ukraine’s Disappearing Chance for Inclusive Institutions
Four years after the start of the Euromaidan, Ukraine still faces many difficulties, including war and a destructive political struggle. The problem most likely to produce lasting damage to the country, however, is Ukraine’s stalled effort to move toward an inclusive state. We have nearly missed our chance. …read more Source: Woodrow...
Poland on the UN Security Council
The main issues facing the UN Security Council (UNSC) are North Korea’s nuclear programme, the status of Jerusalem, and Russian aggression in Ukraine. Analysis of UNSC member positions indicates several potential sources of conflict but also possible fields of cooperation. Poland must prepare to act in these areas to achieve its goals...
Russia refuses to let family and doctors see abducted Ukrainian teenager
It is over four months since 19-year-old Pavlo Hryb was abducted from Belarus to Russia, and his captors are still blocking access to both Pavlo’s relatives and to the Ukrainian doctors familiar with his serious medical condition. …read more Source: Kharkiv Human Rights Protection...
The Crimean childhoods Russia ended in just a few brutal moments
The scale of repression and the number of political prisoners rose massively in 2017 and 100 children are now growing up without their fathers. Many were present when armed and masked men burst in to their homes and are deeply scarred by experiences no child should go through …read more Source: Kharkiv Human Rights Protection...
Life in danger of Ukrainian held prisoner in occupied Crimea because somebody else is on Interpol list
Kabir Mohammad, a Ukrainian citizen originally from Afghanistan, was held prisoner in Russian-occupied Crimea for a year because a person with a different name but same country of origin was on Interpol’s wanted list. He remains a hostage to this insane situation with his life now placed in grave danger. …read more Source: Kharkiv...
