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Karol Luczka

Karol Łuczka is a freelance journalist focused on Ukraine and Russia. He also works as Eastern Europe Advocacy Lead at the Vienna-based International Press Institute (IPI). Karol holds an MA in International Security from Sciences Po Paris.

Articles

Ukraine’s strikes on Russian refineries spark fuel shortages, export bans, and price hikes

by Karol Luczka
Over the past week, Ukraine's Armed Forces carried out new strikes on Russian oil refineries, forcing Russian authorities to extend a ban on gasoline exports and announce the introduction of a partial ban on diesel exports. Ukraine's sustained campaign of strikes on refineries is now causing mild havoc at gas stations in Russia and occupied Crimea, with prices skyrocketing and short-term shortages widely reported. While, for now, these strikes are unlikely to cause massive disruptions to globa

What the resignation of technocrat Dmitry Kozak tells us about power in Russia

by Karol Luczka
The Kremlin confirmed on Sept. 18 the resignation of Vladimir Putin's long-time close associate, the deputy head of his administration, Dmitry Kozak. According to Peskov, Kozak is leaving of his own accord. His resignation has been accepted, with Sept. 19 set as Kozak's last day in office, Interfax reported, citing an undisclosed source. The New York Times previously reported that Kozak had privately advised Putin against launching the war in Ukraine in 2022. He also reportedly warned of the d

Ukraine is sending the war back to Russia — just in time for Victory Day

by Karol Luczka
Over the past days, Moscow's grand avenues, like every year in early May, were taken over by the growling of 80-year-old tanks and the smell of gasoline burned by military vehicles. To the delight of many locals, soldiers marched in multiple rehearsals for the May 9 Victory Day Parade in the week leading up to the actual event. But as Moscow prepares for its fourth parade since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the atmosphere this year is different. At the turn of the mont

Why Trump’s Ukraine plan will fail to drive a wedge between Russia, China

by Karol Luczka
It's no secret that U.S. officials have been trying to drive a wedge between Russia and its key ally, China. Former United States Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg was among the government officials who made the intention public, saying that the U.S. would try to "break (Vladimir) Putin's alliances." Kellogg was later demoted, with the word Russia removed from his job title. U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio echoed Kellogg's sentiment, saying that having a relationship with Ru

Russia's oil tanker crash causes 'worst ecological catastrophe,' with Black Sea in need of a decade to recover

by Karol Luczka
On the night of Dec. 15, 2024, two Russian oil tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, sank in the Kerch Strait, a narrow maritime connection between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, off the coast of occupied Crimea. Both vessels were constructed for service on rivers, not on the open sea, and did not have valid sailing documents at the time of the disaster. The tankers also violated a weather-based ban on entering the Kerch Strait. The vessel crews then attempted for days to obtain an aut