Section: Research Organizations & Think Tanks about Ukraine
A Most Dangerous Option for Germany
By George Friedman Last week, a delegation of executives from major German corporations met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Such delegations are unremarkable. Sometimes they travel together to meet with foreign leaders. It is sometimes routine, sometimes a courtesy. But occasionally, it has significance. In the case of Russia-Germany...
The Militia Option in Syria
Free Syrian Army rebels take up positions against Assad militias on the outskirts of Maraat al-Numan, Idlib, Syria, image via Syria Freedom House Flickr CCBESA Center Perspectives No. 616, October 16, 2017 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The war in Syria has focused attention on the role of militia forces. Although we may see the phenomenon as entirely...
Ukraine remembers Petro Grigorenko as his words in defence of Crimean Tatars could get you arrested in Russian-occupied Crimea
It is 110 years since the birth of Petro Grigorenko, Soviet General, founding member of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group, victim of punitive psychiatry and defender of the Crimean Tatar people. The anniversary is of acute poignancy at a time when Crimean Tatars are once again facing discrimination and persecution in their homeland under Russian...
Journalist facing persecution in Azerbaijan detained in Ukraine
Fikret Guseinov, a journalist working from Dutch exile for the opposition TV Turan channel, was detained on October 14 at Kyiv’s Boryspil Airport. Since one of the charges against him is of ‘illegally crossing the border’ when he left Azerbaijan in 2008, the question yet again arises of what checking procedure Interpol uses before...
Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov sent to brutal prison north of the Arctic Circle
It seems very likely that the Kremlin’s most famous Ukrainian political prisoner, Oleg Sentsov, has been taken to the ‘White Bear’ Prison Colony ‘north of the Arctic Circle’. The place could not be more remote and unsuited for a Ukrainian accustomed to the warm climate of Crimea, and the prison has a reputation for brutality...
49 Crimean Tatars detained for legal pickets demanding an end to persecution
Crimean Tatars have reacted to the new arrests on ‘terrorism’ charges of civic activists in Russian-occupied Crimea by holding single-person pickets with placards reading: “Crimean Tatars are not terrorists. Give children their fathers back” and “Fabricating criminal cases – it’s this that’s TERROR”. . …read more Source:...
The Kurdish Question Part Two: Regional relationships and implications.
Kurdish territories in Syria and Iraq have expanded dramatically as a consequence of wars forced upon the Kurds and they have demonstrated a knack for both political representation and the participation of women in political and military affairs. This is a far cry from their status under the Syria of Hafez al-Assad, where they were barely...
Watch List Findings: Oct. 14, 2017
What follows are the preliminary findings for issues identified in the daily Watch Lists this week. We are only sending findings that we regard as significant or potentially significant to keep this list manageable. We have findings for all the Watch List items. Should you be interested in findings not listed here, please contact us and we will...
Kleptocracy Daily: October 13, 2017
UK: London kleptocracy tours continue to highlight the dark side of globalization, writes Emanuele Midolo. (Property Week) Russia: Mark Galeotti, Lilia Shevtsova, Vladislav Inozemtsev, and KI Advisory Council member Hannah Thoburn explain how kleptocracy informs the Kremlin’s foreign policy. (NED) Senators McCain and Cardin chastised the...
The world’s first CosmoHack: space projects, high technologies and art
On October 4-5 Space and Future Forum continued at KPI University and Kyiv Planetarium. The world’s first CosmoHack started at Sikorsky Challenge premises where young enthusiasts worked in Teams of the Future on research and applied project proposals. Within the framework of the Forum, the Beginning of the Space Era Round Table was held in...