Section: The Centre for Eastern Studies (Poland)
Russia intensifies its nuclear blackmail
Recent days have seen an unprecedented escalation of nuclear rhetoric by Moscow. Two leading pro-Kremlin experts on international affairs, Sergei Karaganov and Dmitri Trenin, have called for tactical nuclear weapons attacks on NATO countries (they gave Poland as an example target) to “break the will” of the West and convince it that...
Prospects for the development of biomethane production in Ukraine
On 8 June 2023, Ukraine’s National Committee for Energy Regulation (NKRE) authorised biomethane producers to inject the fuel which has not been used in the local operator’s gas networks to the national gas transmission system. This decision lifts the restrictions previously imposed on producers of this type of fuel regarding their...
Grain comes first: the African peace initiative for Ukraine
On 15–17 June, representatives of seven African countries visited Ukraine and Russia to propose a plan to end the war. The delegation included the presidents of South Africa, Senegal, Zambia and the Comoros (the latter country is currently chairing the African Union), the prime minister of Egypt and representatives of the leaders of Congo and...
Ukrainian forces continue their offensive in the south. Day 481 of the war
Ukrainian forces are still trying to break the Russian defences in Zaporizhzhia oblast and the western part of Donetsk oblast. They are renewing attacks in the areas south of Velyka Novosilka and south and west of Orikhiv. One site of particularly heavy fighting over the last few days is Piatykhatky, which lies immediately south of the village of...
The offensive along the Zaporizhzhia front slows down. Day 477 of the war
Over the past few days there has been a marked reduction in the intensity of fighting compared to last week. The Ukrainians are continuing to carry out reconnaissance operations along the section of the front near Orikhiv, and have not made any attempts to storm the enemy positions. At Velyka Novosilka, their advance along the main axis was...
Ukraine’s first defeats and successes on the Zaporizhzhia front. Day 474 of the war
Over the past four days, Ukrainian forces have continued their offensive operations on the Zaporizhzhia front. Attempts by mechanised subunits to break through the Russian defences south of Orikhiv (near the village of Robotyne) have failed. The enemy defended this section ably, using fortifications and minefields which they had prepared in...
The Belgorod syndrome: the Ukrainian incursion reveals the weakness of the Russian regime
A Ukrainian subversive and psychological operation has been ongoing on the territory of the Belgorod oblast since 22 May. It is mainly being carried out by Russian volunteer troops of the ‘Free Russia’ Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps, who oppose the Putin regime and are subordinate to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Their operational...
Ukrainian counter-offensive in the south of the country. Day 470 of the war
On 7 June, Ukrainian units struck in the Zaporizhzhia oblast, attempting to break through Russian defences in two or three places (depending on the attack wave) south of Orikhiv; the heaviest fighting is taking place over the town of Robotyne. Attempts to break through the invaders’ defences are also being undertaken about 25 km west of...
Russian volunteers destabilise the Belgorod oblast of Russia. Day 463 of the war
Russian volunteer formations fighting on the side of Ukraine are continuing a psychological sabotage operation to confirm that resistance to the regime is growing in Russia. On 31 May, a spokesman for the Free Russia Legion reported that “between 500 and 1000 people” who are exclusively Russian citizens are fighting in its ranks. The formation is...
Denmark: higher spending on defence and military support for Ukraine
On 30 May, Denmark’s acting defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen presented the government’s proposal for the new Defence Agreement covering the 2024–33 period. It provides for additional defence spending of 143 billion kroner (€19.20 billion) over the next 10 years. The increase is expected to allow the country to meet the target of...
