Clik here to view.
A burning issue in Siberia
Farm workers in the Omsk region, cheated out of their land by big business, have taken their cases to the courts; and taken the matter into their own hands…On 14 April, about 300 shareholders in Market...
View ArticleClik here to view.
China is already sitting in Russia’s backyard
China is already sitting in Russia’s backyard. Perhaps this might encourage the EU to try a little harder with its Eastern Partnership.The crisis in Ukraine, and Russia’s annexation of Crimea have...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Belarus and the EEU: caught between a rock and a hard place
On 29 May, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan are set to sign an agreement on the formation of the EEU (Eurasian Economic Union), designed to take the economic integration of the three countries to a new...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Kazakhstan and the EEU: the rise of Eurasian scepticism
As in Europe, scepticism towards regional integration is on the rise in Kazakhstan. And just like the Old Continent, Astana is learning to play this to its advantage… Troubles brewing for the EEUThese...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Armenia and the EEU: the point of no return for Yerevan
Early last year Armenia entered into accession talks with the Russian-led Customs Union – a precursor to the EEU. But does this path hold the key to greater economic prosperity for Yerevan or is it...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Kazakh banking – devaluation, consolidation and bad loans
Kazakh banking is in a state of disarray, as banks assimilate the consequences of a recent 20% devaluation of the tenge. But there is also consolidation taking place, adding to the flux; and those bad...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Russian internet today
The first ‘.ru’ domain was registered twenty years ago. Russia’s internet (or RuNet) used to be one of the least regulated online spaces in the world, but it has come under increasingly heavy...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The ‘Balkanisation’ of Russia’s internet
The internet in Russia, or ‘RuNet’, has developed largely free from state interference. But recent government initiatives paint a grim picture of its future.Most reactions from the expert community to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
RuNet: politics before profit
With most of the Russian media under Kremlin control, the internet has been a popular source of independent information. But now this window may be closing, with major online news sites blocked by the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The EU says no to gay rights in Ukraine
The EU has renewed talks with the Kyiv government on closer ties, but in its zeal to promote visa-free travel it has dropped gay rights from the agenda.After former President Yanukovych’s U-turn on an...
View ArticleClik here to view.
RuNet: the ‘Shit List’
In ten years, the number of active Russian internet users has leapt from 3% to 48% of the population, and counting. The government reacted by introducing a register of blacklisted sites. But some users...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Self-rule in Ukraine
There is no agreement about what ‘self-rule’ means for parts of Ukraine. Moreover, even if federalism is not a first step to the disintegration of Ukraine, neither is it a ‘magic solution.’On the eve...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ukraine needs federalism and power-sharing
Federalism need not be a dirty word in Ukraine. There are many power-sharing examples available to follow, that would keep the country together.In Kyiv, ‘federalism’ has become a dirty word, reports...
View ArticleClik here to view.
(Pa)trolling the RuNet
In Russia the information war isn’t just being waged on television and in print. Well-funded Kremlin-linked organisations are waging a battle for hearts and minds in cyberspace.Russian pro-Kremlin...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Putin's dissertation and the revenge of RuNet
While increasing regulation and manipulation are restricting Russia’s online space, activists are still finding innovative ways to use it to uncover corruption, such as a site uncovering plagiarism...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Secret medals for a very public operation
President Putin recently rewarded some 300 journalists for their 'objective coverage' of the annexation of Crimea. The ceremony was held in secret and very little information is available. Why should...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What does it take to save Ukraine?
Billionaire President-elect Petro Poroshenko has promised to sell his chocolate making concern Roshen, to ‘focus on the well-being of the nation.’ Even with the best of intentions, this might be rather...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Секретные медали за несекретную операцию
Недавно в Кремле Президент Владимир Путин тайно наградил триста журналистов за «оъективное освешение» аннехии Крыма. Заскрченное вручение награждений проводится далеко в первый раз, но тут-то…?Триста...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Maidan comes to Abkhazia
Events in Ukraine have both highlighted and influenced Abkhazia’s political divisions, as yesterday’s protests clearly demonstrate. The Crimean precedent has breathed a new divisive life into politics...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Russia’s economic decline looms large over Central Asia
The Russian economy is perhaps already in recession, certainly in decline. This could be contagious because a slowdown in Russia will also slow down its neighbours. Recession loomsWith many sectors of...
View Article