Section: Research Organizations & Think Tanks about Ukraine
Watch List Findings: Aug. 5, 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...
Kyiv Sweeps Out the Digital Cobwebs
Mismanagement and sloth help explain why government computers are so prone to malicious hacks. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
EU sanctions Russian deputy minister over Siemens turbines to Crimea
The European Union on Friday (4 August) imposed sanctions on three more Russians, including Deputy Energy Minister Andrei Cherezov, and three Russian companies over the delivery of Siemens’ turbines to Moscow-annexed Crimea. …read more Source:...
August 4th, 2017
CHINA Wolf Warrior 2: The Nationalist Action Film Storming ChinaBBC“Anyone who offends China will be killed no matter how far the target is.” That is the tagline for Wolf Warriors 2, the Chinese box office hit that is equal parts testosterone-fueled machismo—think blazing guns, explosions, and tanks—and chest-thumping Chinese patriotism. It sees...
August 3rd, 2017
CHINA China Chatbot Goes Rogue: “Do You Love The Communist Party?” “No”Louise Lucas, Nicolle Liu, & Yingzhi YanG, FINANCIAL TIMES Two chatbots with decidedly non-socialist characteristics were pulled from one of China’s most popular messaging apps after serving up unpatriotic answers about topics including the South China Sea and the...
Isolated Trump Flails Helplessly as He Bows to Irrational Policies on Russia and Europe Imposed by Congress
President Donald Trump has signed the sanctions bill against Russia, North Korea, and Iran. With the near-unanimous, veto-proof margin by which the so-called “Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act” was passed by both the House and the Senate, Trump was in a lose-lose position.In the signing statement issued by...
How Google Analytics Codes Unearthed a Network of South African Fake News Sites
In July 2015, Lawrence Alexander published a report uncovering a number of ostensibly local, Ukrainian news sites that were actually operated out of the so-called “Troll Factory” of St. Petersburg, at 55 Savushkina Street. Lawrence found the connection between these sites by locating a shared Google Analytics ID, which showed that the sites were...
Russia wants 5-year sentence for a Ukrainian flag in illegally occupied Crimea
The verdict is awaited in the ‘trial’ in Russian-occupied Crimea of Ukrainian farmer and activist Volodymyr Balukh. The de facto prosecutor has demanded five years and one month imprisonment for the Ukrainian activist and recognized political prisoner, and the behaviour thus far of the ‘judge’ – Maria Bedritskaya – gives no grounds...
Russia-Moldova Row Deepens
Chisinau’s treatment of Russian deputy PM ‘absolutely unacceptable,’ says Kremlin spokesman. …read more Source: Transitions Online...
Russia Sanctions and The Coming Crackdown on Americans
Illustration from “Hamilton 68” project website.Last week I wrote an article and did an interview explaining that in my reading of the new Russia sanctions bill just signed by President Trump, there is a measure opening the door to a US government crackdown on some of the non-mainstream media. In particular, Section 221 of the...
