A pro-Kremlin Russian media outlet, Kommersant, has held a question and answer session with the EU’s ambassador to Russia, Vygaudas Ušackas, in which they discuss relations between Moscow and Brussels. This is the first part of the interview. The second part can be found here. – Ed. Several days before the latest Russian-European Union (EU) […]
Let’s start with the weather. Recently an exotic-looking gentleman has become a permanent fixture on the “Russia‑24” public TV channel: a catchy checkered blazer, an acid-pink shirt, and a saucy scarf. His outfit, his nervous manners, and picaresque tone, recalls Bulgakov’s Korovyev, rather than a leading specialist of the “Phobos” weather center. Up until now […]
On Wednesday the State Duma issued a statement on the events in Ukraine. As the Russian Foreign Minister did the day before, the deputies called on external forces to refrain from interfering in what is happening and to not aggravate the situation. “The State Duma calls on foreign politicians, who in violation of international law […]
My European and American friends, I know that you follow the news from Ukraine, and you have a picture of what’s happening. However, I’d like to explain how it concerns you. Ukraine was hijacked. You may remember Flight 93, the only aircraft that didn’t reach its target during the September 11 attacks: the hijackers headed to […]
This article was published yesterday in the business journal Vedomosti. Last night and today, clashes between protesters and Ukrainian security forces have intensified. — Ed. “The laws on dictatorship” adopted by show of hands by the Verkhovna Rada on January 16, were met by Ukraine that was in a state of a frozen political conflict. […]
The draconian laws the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada passed by a show of hands on January 16 were intended to quash the Euromaidan movement. Instead, the action ignited a furious backlash among pro-European Ukrainians: tens of thousands of protesters braved the cold on Kiev’s Independence Square on Sunday, in intentional violation of the new legislation. Fighting […]
The Eurasian Economic Union – an economic alliance of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan – is expected to become effective on January 1, 2015. After the events in Ukraine it can be assumed that in the future the Eurasian Union will expand by another neighbor of Russia. On December 24 a regular meeting of the Supreme […]
A monument to Lenin at a school yard in the Ukrainian city of Berdichev has been toppled. According to a report from the press office of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate for Zhitomir Region, “a group of persons evidently took part in the destruction of the statue, since one person would not be strong […]
This article in Forbes Russia predates yesterday’s surprising news that Ukrainian President Yanukovych has signed a $15 billion deal with Russia that has Russia buying Ukrainian government bonds and has Russia slashing the cost of natural gas from $400 per 1,000 to $268.5 per 1,000 cubic meters. As the BBC notes, this will not be […]
All the factions of the State Duma endorsed the statement on the situation in Ukraine. In this statement the legislators express dissatisfaction with the actions of the opposition, including riots and destruction of monuments, as well as with meddling by western politicians in Ukraine’s affairs. In its statement the State Duma warns that “unauthorized rallies, […]
