Section: Main news

      Putin to deploy military in Syria

      The Federation Council voted unanimously to give President Vladimir Putin approval to deploy Russia’s military in Syria. ||| Moscow – The Russian parliament on Wednesday unanimously granted President Vladimir Putin the right to deploy the country’s military in Syria, a move a top Kremlin aide said related only to the air force....

      National Security and Defense Council:Militants opened fire with small arms and grenade launchers
      Sep29

      National Security and Defense Council:Militants opened fire with small arms and grenade launchers

      Kyiv, September 29, 2015. In the last 24-hours none of the Ukrainian military was killed or wounded. View map in full size One militants’ provocation was recorded yesterday in Luhansk sector. It happened near Staryi Aidar westwards of Shchastia. In Donetsk sector militants were active only northwards of Horlivka. The militants who control the...

      Ukraine Must Embrace Radical Reform Now
      Sep29

      Ukraine Must Embrace Radical Reform Now

      If the Ukrainian government does not follow through with an ambitious reform agenda, public support will wane while dissatisfaction will increase, threatening political stability and the country’s future. “There is no time for slow evolutionary changes. Radical and revolutionary reforms are the only way to success,” warns a new...

      Halfway There on National Unity in Ukraine
      Sep29

      Halfway There on National Unity in Ukraine

      Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has lost the battle for the hearts and minds of the predominantly Russian-speaking regions of eastern and southern Ukraine that remain under Kyiv’s control. Support for those he calls “compatriots” has been at the core of Putin’s stated rationale for intervention in Ukraine. Polls...

      Will Assad Rescue Putin from the Ukrainian Quagmire?
      Sep29

      Will Assad Rescue Putin from the Ukrainian Quagmire?

      For fifteen years, Gleb Pavlovsky worked as an adviser to Russian Presidents Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin, and the one-term Dmitry Medvedev. He was one of the chief architects behind the “power vertical” concept— the need for a strong leader in order to create stability. Freedom and democracy were supposed to “come...

      Ukraine’s Leaders Must Engage Disillusioned Citizens Now
      Sep29

      Ukraine’s Leaders Must Engage Disillusioned Citizens Now

      In many respects, Ukraine is unrecognizable from the place it was a mere two years ago. Civic engagement has clearly increased, as seen by the remarkable mobilization of volunteers, flourishing of local civic groups, and generous donations for a variety of causes. A sense of vitality and energy pervades the country—unlike a few years ago, when...

      National Security and Defense Council:Militants were firing upon Ukrainian positions near Maryinka. Four Ukrainian servicemen were wounded
      Sep29

      National Security and Defense Council:Militants were firing upon Ukrainian positions near Maryinka. Four Ukrainian servicemen were wounded

      Kyiv, September 28, 2015. It was absolutely calm in the Luhansk sector in the ATO zone yesterday. Ukrainian troops incurred no casualties in the Luhansk sector over the last day. View map in full size In the Donetsk sector, militants opened fire several times in the area of Svitlodarske water reservoir – near Luhanske and Lozove – in the evening....

      US, Russia clash over working with Assad

      The US and Russia agreed to try and end the Syrian civil war but then disgreed over whether President Bashar al-Assad should be included. ||| United Nations – The United States said on Monday it was willing to work with Russia, as well as Iran, to try to end the Syrian civil war but the two big powers clashed over whether or not Syrian...

      A Gift to Putin
      Sep28

      A Gift to Putin

      An odd thing happened on President Barack Obama’s way to New York for meetings at the UN with world leaders. He forgot to schedule a session with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Of course, New York City is flooded with world leaders at this time of year, and Obama does not have time to meet with all of them.But the buzz this week is...

      Planned separatists-organized elections in Ukraine are not legitimate – US Department of State
      Sep27

      Planned separatists-organized elections in Ukraine are not legitimate – US Department of State

      The United States Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt posts on his official Twitter that Minsk Agreements call for local elections in Eastern Ukraine to be conducted under Ukrainian law and international observation: Minsk Agreements call for local elections in eastern Ukraine to be conducted under Ukrainian law & int’l observation...