Washington is a city for sale
What do General Michael Flynn, President Donald J Trump’s first National Security Advisor, Paul Manafort, Trump’s erstwhile campaign chief, and Tony Podesta, the lobbyist and brother of Hillary Clinton’s former campaign chief, John Podesta, have in common? They have all been accused of taking money from dodgy dictators to...
Why Was Zapad-2017 So Important?
The strategic joint military exercise Zapad-2017 took place from September 14-20 at several training grounds in Russia and Belarus. According to official statements, the total number of troops participating in this military drill was 13,000. However, the real figures could well have been significantly higher. The official scenario of Zapad-2017...
Russians persecuted and jailed for fighting for Ukraine in Donbas
One Russian has been jailed for over three years, and another, extradited from Tajikistan, is about to be put on trial in Russia for taking part in the fighting in Donbas on the side of Ukraine. The FSB and Russian courts treat anybody supporting Ukraine as a ‘mercenary’, while notorious mercenary Arseny Pavlov [‘Motorola’] and other...
Abducted & tortured Crimean Tatar: “If I don’t speak out, they’ll come for others”
We cannot know how many Ukrainians the FSB have abducted and tortured in Russian-occupied Crimea to extract ‘confessions’ to non-existent crimes, however Renat Paralamov hopes that his refusal to remain silent can help prevent the number becoming even higher. …read more Source: Kharkiv Human Rights Protection...
Hazing, Suicides and Unreported Deaths in the Russian Army
Security This October, Russia launched another round of military conscription. Despite upbeat official rhetoric, the news media have recently published a number of alarming stories about soldiers committing suicide. Although the situation has been gradually improving, this brings to light a problem that has afflicted Russia’s armed forces...
Futile Effort, New Maidan, or Neither? October Protests in Kyiv
A new political season has opened. This fact was made abundantly clear to Kyiv residents on October 18, as the police patrol had increased its presence downtown. The reason? Mass protests that started a day earlier near the Ukrainian parliament building. …read more Source: Woodrow Wilson International Center for...
Ukraine’s Financial Future: Between Default and Prosperity
In the next five years, Ukraine’s aggregate payments for external liabilities will amount to more than $40 billion. However, the net reserves of the National Bank of Ukraine stand at $5 billion. On the basis of such a ratio, the risk of Ukraine defaulting on its debt is high. Can Ukraine overcome this risk? My response to the above question...
Why Energy Reform in Ukraine Matters for European Regional Security
Russia is developing new ways of delivering gas to EU. These new pipelines will decrease the importance of the Ukrainian route, resulting in a long list of losses for the country. Ukraine’s government wants to retain the country’s status as a gas transit country. However, Russia’s cooperation will be needed to continue to move...
Ukrainian-Polish Relations in the Context of the Memory War: A Game of Lose-Lose
Relations between Ukraine and Poland today are cooling, disturbingly. The growing differences between the two neighbors do not add to the stability of the region. …read more Source: Woodrow Wilson International Center for...
October 26th, 2017
CAMBODIA Cambodia’s King Sihamoni OKs Divisive Laws to Reallocate Opposition Parliamentary Seats RFA Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni has approved a set of controversial amendments to the country’s electoral law, paving the way for the dissolution of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) and the reallocation of...
