Editor's Note: This op-ed was published in Ukrainian by RFE/RL. The Kyiv Independent has translated it and is republishing it with permission. The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. Joseph Stalin made a huge mistake when he didn’t believe Soviet intelligence on Adolf
Editor’s Note: This op-ed was published by Atlantic Council. It is republished here with permission. In a recent article on the current geopolitical crisis in Eastern Europe, Estonian MP and security expert Eerik-Niiles Kross made the perceptive and provocative statement, “We know what the Russians want, but we are
This opinion was originally published at New Canadian Media. It's been updated to include latest developments. Canada’s Federal government took a good step by deploying 60 more personnel to join 200 troops already on the ground, which came as part of a $340 million Canadian (US$268 million) commitment
As Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his bellicose rhetoric and pours more and more troops across multiple fronts with Ukraine, the world holds its breath at a crucial juncture. What path we go down next, whether Russia backs down or makes good on its threats, will largely depend on whether
Russia’s build-up of troops on Ukraine’s border makes headlines worldwide and keeps the leaders of liberal democratic countries worried. Russia has amassed heavy arms and more than 100,000 soldiers at Ukraine’s eastern border and in occupied Crimea as well as in Belarus. We should also remember
We can still call ourselves human when we come to our neighbor's aid despite a psychopath villain threatening his existence and, perhaps, ours too. Such human gestures came recently from the little Baltic states, Poland the Czech Republic, Denmark, Canada, and others most importantly from the United States. All committed
I have been getting a lot of questions about Ukraine of late, for obvious reasons. I haven't been giving out too many answers because, frankly, I have no idea of what Mr Putin intends to do this week, next month, or next year. Nor do the other pundits I have
The frightening risk of Europe’s most devastating war in nearly 80 years is growing ever more real as the United States warns that Russia could launch a massive new invasion in Ukraine “on very short notice” and readies NATO forces to deploy in Eastern Europe. The catastrophic effects of
Editor’s Note: This op-ed was published by Atlantic Council. It is republished here with permission. Ever since 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin has weaponized history as part of his hybrid war against Ukraine. On numerous occasions, most infamously in his July 2021 essay “On the Historical Unity of Russians
Editor’s Note: This op-ed was published by Atlantic Council. It is republished here with permission. Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved to escalate tensions with Ukraine in recent months by putting a huge and unprecedented Russian military force on its borders while launching a concerted “coercive” diplomatic effort sketching
Editor’s Note: This op-ed was published by Atlantic Council. It is republished here with permission. As I watch the never-ending coverage of the current Russian military build-up around Ukraine, I am struck by the fact that, as presented by the international media, the situation seems to have little to
After communism fell, Russia’s rulers, the siloviki (strongmen, like President Vladimir Putin and his cronies) experienced a period of uncertainty. Eventually, Russia came back under their control. They said, you can’t really run a Western democracy in a post-Soviet country, it just results in chaos. But then Latvia,
As the Biden administration and its Western allies decide how to respond next to Russia’s threatening military presence on the borders of Ukraine, it’s worth probing Vladimir Putin’s psyche. Is he a rational leader who grasps the realities of his country’s current standoff with the West?
Tensions have been flying high between Moscow and the West for months, with little prospect currently of imminent de-escalation. Stress is also mounting between Russia and Ukraine, as Russian military activities in the surrounding region increase. In Washington, the White House and President Joseph Biden argue that a Russian invasion
Editor’s Note: This op-ed was published by Atlantic Council. It is republished here with permission. The Putin regime has long sought to convince Russians that international sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine are actually beneficial for the country. Russia’s propaganda machine has also succeeded in persuading many
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors. The French habit of being fashionably late is at best irritating, at worst dangerous when war is at stake. In his address to the European Parliament on Jan. 19, Macron urged the European Union to
At the end of last week, a concerted and widespread cyberattack struck Ukrainian government and civil society websites. Kyiv has made it clear that it believes the Russian government to be behind the attacks as part of Russia’s ongoing attempts to destabilize Ukraine. Although the Kremlin denies the accusations,
Jumping in the ice holes during Epiphany peaked its popularity in Ukraine during the 2000s. President Viktor Yushchenko loved to do this — and officials mimicked it, making the event more and more widespread. However, ethnologists, medics, and even priests shared their doubts about this tradition. Now, these doubts sound loud
As a series of high-level talks between the United States, European allies and Russia wind down this week, an uptick in Moscow's military muscle on its borders will remain a preoccupation of western diplomats long after they return to their duty stations. The roughly 100,000 Russian troops stationed near
On 21 July 2021, United States President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel issued a "Joint Statement of the United States and Germany on Support for Ukraine, European Energy Security, and our Climate Goals" that highlighted the arrangements made between the two leaders for the U.S. to withdraw
Russia’s president made strong self-serving demands recently. Among them seeking security guarantees from the United States, its allies and NATO, determining NATO’s membership, and withholding military co-operation to the now independent former USSR states. Otherwise the Zircons will fly, he threatened. President Joe Biden shot back. Ukraine’s
The first thing I do every morning is grab my phone to read the latest news. And every morning I read about yet another ominous threat of Russia invading my home, Ukraine. It’s either Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Ukraine joining NATO would mean death to Russia as we
Editor’s Note: This is the 60th issue of Ukrainian State-Owned Enterprises Weekly covering events from Dec. 24 - Jan. 14, 2021. The Kyiv Independent is reposting it with permission. Corporate governance in SOEs Changes in Ukrzaliznytsia’s executive board. On Dec. 23, the Cabinet of Ministers resolved to change
Editor’s Note: Gyunduz Mamedov, Ukraine’s deputy prosecutor general in 2019-2021, was in charge of the investigation of the PS752 shootdown on the Ukrainian side. For two years, the Ukrainian investigation of the PS752 catastrophe has been waiting for Iran to fulfill its declared intentions for cooperation. It is
I have certainly put myself out there as having the most hawkish view on Russia (compared to the street consensus), but I still find it difficult to see anything but escalation by Russia with Ukraine from the current postures. Why? First, I just don’t see much room for compromise
Russia is the largest country in the world and one of the most sparsely populated. With about 20 million people more than Japan’s, it occupies a territory nearly 45 times larger than that of the island-country. Yet Russia wants more. It wants to restore “historical Russia,” which, Mr. Putin
Editor’s Note: This is the beginning-of-the-year issue of Ukrainian State-Owned Enterprises Weekly. The Kyiv Independent is reposting it with permission. Adoption of draft law No. 5593-d on corporate governance at SOEs Draft law No. 5593-d is called to improve the existing legislation on corporate governance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs)
The United States has said Moscow’s demands for security guarantees are non-starter and will be off-the-table in Geneva on Jan. 10. The American delegation wants to talk about other things like the positioning of weapons in Europe. Where is the indication Russia has any interest in talking about anything
Editor's Note: This op-ed was published by Atlantic Council. It is republished here with permission. Thirty years ago, the Soviet Union collapsed in a largely bloodless way. But events in recent years have proved that bloodlessness to be only temporary. Russia’s war against Ukraine—with fourteen thousand Ukrainian fatalities
Editor’s Note: The following are the analytical notes that Timothy Ash, senior strategist at Bluebay Asset Management, distributes to his subscribers. The Kyiv Independent is reposting it with permission. It seems that “order” will be restored in Kazakhstan, but only with the help of Russian/CSTO (Collective Security Treaty
Editor’s Note: The following are the analytical notes that Timothy Ash, senior strategist at Bluebay Asset Management, distributes to his subscribers. The Kyiv Independent is reposting it with permission. Despite fighting talk from Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, it’s unclear whether he has the support of enough of the
Editor’s Note: This is the end-of-the-year issue of Ukrainian State-Owned Enterprises Weekly. The Kyiv Independent is reposting it with permission. At the end of the year, we would like to look back at the major events of 2021 in the domain of corporate governance at SOEs and privatisation. Based
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