Section: The Centre for Eastern Studies (Poland)
Russia: a wartime economy
In recent weeks, Russia has introduced further legal changes to adapt its economy to the needs of the war in Ukraine. This includes a law which has been passed on special economic measures to support the Russian armed forces during “counter-terrorism and other operations” outside the country. The document authorises measures such as the temporary...
Russia’s attack on Ukraine: day 144
Russian troops regularly shell border towns in the Chernihiv, Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts. These are preceded by intelligence activities carried out, among others, using Orlan-10 drones. Particularly intensive shelling has taken place in Kharkiv and north and east of that city, along the Donec River floodplain. The latter direction should be linked...
Turkish dilemmas in the shadow of the war in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine forcefully evoked the question of Turkey’s international position and political strategy in its neighbourhood, but also in its relations with the West and Russia. In the first months of the aggression, Turkey reaffirmed its alignment with the West and its fear of Russian power and ambitions. The war also provided an...
A creeping annexation. Russia’s plans to partition Ukraine
Russia was forced to modify its plan after its military operation in Ukraine failed. The original intention was the rapid political subjugation of Ukraine. The new plan involves Russia consolidating its position in the territories that it has managed to seize thus far. As a result of major resistance on the part of Ukrainian society, the Kremlin...
Rapprochement: Moldova’s president visits Kyiv
On 27 June Moldova’s President Maia Sandu paid an official visit to Kyiv, the first since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She met, among other officials, President Volodymyr Zelensky, and visited Bucha, Irpin and Borodyanka. During her visit Sandu pledged Moldova’s support for the ‘brave Ukrainian nation’ and declared...
Russia’s attack on Ukraine: day 125
Russian forces continue to advance southwest of Lysychansk (in the Vovchoyarivka–Verkhn’okam’yanka area), while they have been halted on the western side of the ‘road of life’ (near the village of Spirne). Fighting is ongoing on the outskirts of Lysychansk and south-east of Bakhmut (Midna Ruda–Klynove; the invaders have...
The beginning of a long journey. Ukraine and Moldova as EU candidate countries
At the European Council summit held on 23 June, Ukraine and Moldova were granted EU candidate country status. The decision was described as historic by both the EU leadership and the governments of Ukraine and Moldova. President Volodymyr Zelensky pointed out there was no alternative to Ukraine’s future EU membership and called on the...
Russia’s attack on Ukraine: day 120
During the night, Ukrainian forces began withdrawing from Sievierodonetsk and crossed the Donets River under fire to Lysychansk (the bridges connecting the two cities were destroyed, and there is no possibility of retreat in the other directions). According to the head of the military-civil administration of the Luhansk Oblasts, Serhiy Haidai,...
Russia’s attack on Ukraine: day 117
Fighting continues for the Azot plant, the last point of Ukrainian resistance in Sievierodonetsk. The defenders are repelling Russian attacks on the southern outskirts of the city (Syrotyne), on both sides of the road connecting Hirske with Lysychansk (the villages of Myrna Dolyna and Bila Hora), south-east of Bakhmut and north of Sloviansk (near...
Having your cake and eating it. Georgia, the war in Ukraine and integration with the West
Georgia’s reaction to the war in Ukraine can be called ambivalent. Although Tbilisi condemned the aggression, it has not joined the anti-Russian sanctions. Indeed, according to Kyiv, Georgia has been violating them and allowing Russia to circumvent them, although so far there is no hard evidence of this. Georgia’s stance of...
