Section: Main news

      Missiles in Syria kill 50 people

      Turkey accused Russia of an “obvious war crime” after missile attacks in northern Syria killed dozens of people. ||| Kiev/Beirut – Turkey on Monday accused Russia of an “obvious war crime” after missile attacks in northern Syria killed dozens of people, and warned Kurdish militia fighters there they would face the “harshest reaction” if...

      Who Should Pay for the Restoration of the Donbas?
      Feb15

      Who Should Pay for the Restoration of the Donbas?

      It appears a real possibility that the Donbas will be reunified with the rest of Ukraine this year: its occupation simply costs the Kremlin too much. Its Novorossiya project has failed, and the Donbas on its own has no appeal to the Russian people. And Russia cannot get rid of the current suffocating financial sanctions without sacrificing the...

      3 scenarios for the situation in Ukraine in 2016-2017
      Feb15

      3 scenarios for the situation in Ukraine in 2016-2017

       Speech by Ukrainian political analyst Yuri Romanenko to foreign diplomats and experts in the Lithuanian Embassy in Kyiv on February 8, 2016. Originally published on Хвиля. “Dear ladies and gentlemen, our forum is taking place against the backdrop of a corruption scandal connected with Igor Kononenko, and it perfectly illustrates my...

      New music video about war in Ukraine
      Feb14

      New music video about war in Ukraine

      Director: Taras Khymych Idea: Mykhaylo Dmytriv Music: Andriana Text: Viktor Vynnyk Arrangement: Roman Mykulskyy, Mykhaylo Bushko Art director – stylist: Olena Khymych Sound producer: Liubomyr Solomchenko Make-up artist, hairdresser: Mariya Shurubura The producer of military scenes: Volodymyr Pravosudov Cast: Olesya Halkanova, Taras Pendrak,...

      Where is Ukraine’s Government Headed Now? Four Possible Scenarios
      Feb10

      Where is Ukraine’s Government Headed Now? Four Possible Scenarios

      Ukraine’s ongoing political crisis offers observers an opportunity to analyze the current state of affairs and determine likely scenarios for the country’s political future in the near term.First, the recent resignation of Aivaras Abromavicius from the position of Minister of Economic Development and Trade did not appear to be...

      Ukraine’s Got a Real Army Now. But Is It Preparing to Fight the Last Battle?
      Feb10

      Ukraine’s Got a Real Army Now. But Is It Preparing to Fight the Last Battle?

      The prolonged stalemate of Minsk II has provided the Ukrainian military ample opportunity to address a series of longstanding challenges stretching back to the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych. While it is clear that the Ukrainian military has improved since its disastrous defeat at Debaltseve in February 2015, evaluating the real effect of...

      Carlsberg plunges into the red

      Carlsberg plunged into the red in 2015 because of large restructuring provisions and declining sales in Europe amid a shrinking Russian beer market. ||| London – Danish brewer Carlsberg said Wednesday it plunged into the red in 2015 because of large restructuring provisions and declining sales in Europe amid a shrinking Russian beer market....

      War or Peace in Ukraine?
      Feb10

      War or Peace in Ukraine?

      The conflict in Ukraine has reached an uneasy impasse. As Putin, ever the strategic grandmaster, focuses his attention on the Middle East the future of peace in Ukraine remains uncertain. With all remaining quiet in the East of the country, where the conflict had sent ripples of Russian expansionist paranoia throughout Europe, what is the current...

      Dutch Likely to Hand Putin a Major Symbolic Victory in Referendum on EU-Ukraine Association Agreement
      Feb09

      Dutch Likely to Hand Putin a Major Symbolic Victory in Referendum on EU-Ukraine Association Agreement

      There is something odd about the upcoming Dutch plebiscite on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. On April 6, the Netherlands will hold a national referendum on a treaty between Brussels and Kyiv that was signed in 2014 and ratified in 2015. Yet, the European Union and the European Community have, during the last sixty years, concluded dozens...

      Actually, No. Russia and Ukraine Are Not Equally Delinquent When It Comes to Fulfilling Minsk
      Feb09

      Actually, No. Russia and Ukraine Are Not Equally Delinquent When It Comes to Fulfilling Minsk

      One of the most startling examples of the adage “there are two sides to every story” is the difference in perceptions over the implementation of the Minsk Agreements between Ukraine and Russia. Minsk, if handled in good faith, could be the roadmap to deescalate the war in Ukraine and bring peace to the region.In October, I wrote a...