KIEV, June 2 (RIA Novosti) – A special operation of Ukrainian forces against independence supporters in the country’s southeast could last as long as one year, said Semen Semenchenko, commander of the Donbass battalion, a pro-Kiev militia set up by the Right Sector nationalist movement. “Unlike many people who believe that the ATO [anti-terrorist operation] will end in just a […]
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MOSCOW, June 2 (RIA Novosti) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday voiced his surprise at the Western media’s spin of the ongoing bloodshed in southeastern Ukraine and the fact that they either hushed up the real situation or showed “different pictures” instead. “We are very concerned by what is going on there. People are being killed every day, […]
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(Window on Eurasia – Paul Goble – Staunton, June 1, 2014) One of the problems that Moscow propagandists face is that many of the arguments they put out for political change in Ukraine apply with equal or even greater force to the Russian Federation and thus have the potential to spark demands inside the latter country that the Kremlin is […]
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… 21. The National Interest: Robert Merry, How to Start a Civil War in Ukraine (and How to Avoid One).
22. The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists: Peter E. Davis and Siegfried S. Hecker, Why the US should keep cooperating with Russia on nuclear security.
23. Asia Times: Pepe Escobar, The future visible in St Petersburg. …
MOSCOW, May 30 (RIA Novosti), Nastassia Astrasheuskaya – While much of Ukraine’s population and most western governments tie high hopes with the newly elected president Petro Poroshenko, a former diplomat and now a successful entrepreneur, foreign critics say his millions are likely to stand in the way of bringing democracy to the country that finds itself in deep political crisis. […]
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KIEV, May 30 (RIA Novosti) – The Ukrainian forces have not confirmed the media reports that it planned to complete the special operation against federalization supporters in the eastern regions of the country by June 14, news agency UNN reported Friday. “As for the media reports on the timeframes of the Anti-Terrorist Operation, most likely it’s total nonsense,” UNN reported, […]
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… 4. Wall Street Journal: East Ukraine Town Digs In for Fight. Pro-Russian Locals Rally to Repel Military Attempt to Retake Town, Blaming Government for Bloodshed.
5. Kyiv Post: Civilian Donbas Battalion forming National Guard unit.
6. Reuters: Quoting Old Testament, new pro-Russia militia group lines up in Ukraine.
7. The Herald (Scotland): Pro-Russian separatists beyond Kremlin control.
8. Reuters: Russia has withdrawn most troops from Ukraine border: U.S. official. …
(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Aleksandra Vagner – LUHANSK, Ukraine, May 29, 2014) Probably the most surprising thing that struck me during my four days reporting from the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine last week came as soon as I arrived. Men armed with automatic weapons stood around the station, watching everything that was going on. From what I’d read, I had expected such men […]
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MOSCOW, May 30 (RIA Novosti) – Officials from Russia, Ukraine and the EU are set to hold talks in Berlin on Friday, a third attempt to resolve the gas dispute caused by Ukraine’s $4 billion outstanding gas debt. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak is also scheduled to meet with EU Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger on Friday. AND SO IT BEGINS […]
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(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Darya Lyubinskaya, special to RBTH – May 29, 2014) RBTH presents a selection of views from leading Russian media, featuring U.S. character references of Ukraine’s president-elect Petro Poroshenko, the options open to the new president, and the release of a manifesto by Maidan activists outlining their post-election vision. Russky Reporter In an editorial […]
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(Russia Beyond the Headlines – rbth.ru – Fyodor Lukyanov, special to RBTH – May 30, 2014) The author is editor in chief of Russia in Global Politics magazine. The election of Petro Poroshenko marks a watershed moment in the Ukrainian crisis. There are now clear opportunities for both Kiev and the self-proclaimed “people’s republics” in the east of the country […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Delphine d’Amora – May 30, 2014) In an effort to jumpstart Crimea’s faltering economy, a government plan could offer tax breaks and other juicy business conditions on the peninsula for the next half century – but even this may not be enough to attract businesses to the badly run-down region. Russian politicians began talking about […]
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(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Charles Recknagel – May 29, 2014) When Ukraine’s President-elect Petro Poroshenko visits Donetsk after his inauguration next month, he is likely to get an earful of demands from eastern Ukrainians who are unhappy with Kyiv. Here are five things to know about why many harbor grievances against the Ukrainian authorities and how Poroshenko might address them. What are the main grievances? […]
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(Center for American Progress – americanprogress.org – Cory Welt [@cory_welt]) Cory Welt is an Adjunct Fellow at the Center for American Progress and the associate director and research professor at the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University‘s Elliott School of International Affairs After three months of interim rule, Ukraine once again has a democratically elected president at the […]
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… 17. Wall Street Journal: Mikheil Saakashvili, The Tasks Ahead for Ukraine’s New President.
18. The Peterson Institute for International Economics: Anders Aslund, Dissolve the Ukrainian Parliament!
19. The Guardian: Miners hold pro-Russia rally in Donetsk. Around 300 coalminers march through city centre in show of support for self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.
20. Moscow Times: Chechens in Ukraine Capture Public Interest. …
(Business New Europe – bne.eu – Tim Ash, Standard Bank – May 29, 2014) I guess that is the $2.5bn for the period to the end of March, another $1bn for April/May, and then $1.7bn in pre-payment for June, as previously demanded by Moscow. EU officials have suggested though that $4bn is owed to date, and under a provisional deal […]
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ROSTOV-ON-DON. May 29 (Interfax) – Viktor Yanukovych has said that he believed the continuation of the violent operation in southeast Ukraine after the presidential election was a bad omen. “This is a very bad sign – to start a presidential path from such a bloody, deadly firework show which causes the ire and curses from mothers who see their children, […]
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(Interfax – May 28, 2014) A senior aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated the Kremlin’s position that it “respects” the outcome of Ukraine’s presidential election, won by confectionery tycoon Petro Poroshenko, the privately-owned Russian news agency Interfax reported on 28 May. “Our president has already said that, of course, we respect the results of the elections that took […]
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KYIV. May 29 (Interfax) – The Ukrainian Central Elections Commission (CEC) has processed 100% of electronic reports from territorial electoral commissions in the presidential election and found out that Petro Poroshenko has won the race with 54.7% of the vote, interim Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov said. “After 100% of the electronic reports have been processed, Petro Oleksiyovych Poroshenko has won […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber – May 29, 2014) Amid deadly clashes between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian security forces in eastern Ukraine, reports that militants from the Russian republic of Chechnya have joined the insurgents have been buzzing on Russian social media for weeks. As videos and photos purportedly showing Chechen militants in Ukraine emerged on the web, […]
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[“Ferocity of Ukraine clashes increases risks for Putin” – Reuters – Timothy Heritage – May 27, 2014] Reuters covers Ukraine’s efforts to use force to put down separatist militants in eastern Ukraine, and Russia’s potential reaction: An army assault on pro-Russian rebels in east Ukraine will not have taken Vladimir Putin by surprise, but the ferocity of the clashes may have – and […]
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[check back for updates, including more links; links also posted to facebook and twitter] Johnson’s Russia List :: 2014-#119 :: 28 May 2014 E-Mail: davidjohnson@starpower.net A project of the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs: www.ieres.org JRL homepage: russialist.org JRL on Facebook: facebook.com/russialist JRL on Twitter: twitter.com/JohnsonRussiaLi Support JRL: russialist.org/funding.php To subscribe to the JRL email version, email David Johnson at davidjohnson@starpower.net 1. Wall Street Journal: […]
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(Oilprice.com – Robert Bensh – May 27, 2014) Kiev is feeling emboldened by the successful election of a new Ukrainian president and a bloody surge against separatists in the east, but in just a few days, Russia says it will twist the gas spigot, and there’s very little Kiev can do to stop that. On June 3, Russia plans to […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexander Panin – May 28, 2014) Acting Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Tuesday that Russia should return the $1 billion worth of gas that he said it stole while annexing Crimea, and accused Moscow of not being trustworthy when it comes to negotiating. “We would like to hear an explanation from Russia, including the […]
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(opendemocracy.net – Mikhail Molchanov – May 27, 2014) Mikhail A. Molchanov was born and raised in Ukraine, where he worked as Head of the Department of Public Administration at the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine. He currently works as Professor of Political Science at St. Thomas University, Canada. He is the author of Political Culture […]
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(democracynow.org – May 27, 2014) At least 30 pro-Russian rebels have reportedly died in fierce fighting at the airport in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk. The Ukrainian government bombarded the airport with air strikes, then paratroopers, after rebels seized it on Monday. The fighting began just hours after the pro-European billionaire candy tycoon Petro Poroshenko won Ukraine’s first presidential […]
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(Business New Europe – bne.eu – Tim Ash, Standard Bank – May 28, 2014) Ukraine’s Central Electoral Commission has confirmed that Petro Poroshenko has in effect won the presidential election, with over 54% of votes, after 95% of votes have been tallied. The president elect has promised to engage in talks to bring peace to Ukraine Ð but not with […]
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MOSCOW, May 28 (RIA Novosti) – Food giants Mars and Nestle have been tipped as favorites to buy Ukraine’s leading chocolate firm Roshen, currently owned by likely president-elect Petro Poroshenko, for as much as $1.5 billion. The candy-maker-turned-politician earlier vowed to sell his biggest asset if elected president, and summoned investment advisors and bankers to assess a best price. Poroshenko’s […]
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MOSCOW. May 28 (Interfax) – Russia will decide on whether or not to congratulate Petro Poroshenko on winning the presidency in elections in Ukraine only after the final results of the voting are officially announced, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said. “When the final results are officially specified, then a decision will be made,” Ushakov said at a news conference in […]
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KIEV, May 28 (RIA Novosti) – Tycoon Petro Poroshenko has scored 54.7 percent of the vote in Ukraine’s presidential election with 99.05 percent of ballots counted, the country’s Central Election Commission announced Wednesday. Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko came second with 12.82 percent. Oleh Lyashko, the leader of the Radical Party of Ukraine, came third with 8.33 percent of […]
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(Interfax – May 28, 2014) The Ukrainian State Border Service has observed a withdrawal of Russian troops from the bilateral border but is wary of the remaining infrastructure. “Our information suggests troops’ withdrawal from our border is under way, but with certain peculiarities. Intelligence radio units, radio interception units remain in place, so does the logistical infrastructure of the camps. […]
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KYIV. May 28 (Interfax) – Maidan activists said they would not leave the Independence Square in central Kyiv until all their demands are met. According to the declaration of Maidan communities on the situation development after May 2014 released at a news conference in Kyiv on Wednesday, “Maidan will not disperse until the demands – punishing criminals, purging, changing the […]
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… 1. Youtube.com: FEEM Lecture by Anatol Lieven, King’s College London: “The Ukraine Debacle.”
2. Washington Post: Jackson Diehl, Ukraine’s Poroshenko says he wants direct U.S. military aid.
3. The Times (UK): Battle is on to stop foe at border with Russia. (Estonia) ….
(Interfax – May 26, 2014) Ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said he respects the choice that the Ukrainian people made in the presidential election on 25 May, privately-owned Russian news agency Interfax reported on 26 May. “An early presidential election has been held in Ukraine. Irrespective of what per cent of people in which region took part in the […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Ivan Nechepurenko – May 27, 2014) When demonstrators occupied central Kiev at the end of last year, they called for a radically changed Ukraine with reformed political institutions and the replacement of the old political guard with new faces that would lead the country to a prosperous future in Europe. But as Petro Poroshenko, 48, […]
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KIEV, May 27 (RIA Novosti) – Ukraine has issued a surrender-or-die ultimatum to self-defense forces in the restive city of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, a spokesperson at the headquarters of the ongoing special operation told journalists Tuesday. “The command of the Anti-Terrorist Operation has guaranteed safety to those who are ready to lay down their weapons,” said Vladislav Seleznyov. He […]
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Anatol Lieven, Chair of International Relations in the War Studies Department of King’s College London, and senior fellow of the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C., addresses recent developments in the Ukrainian crisis, and a series of long-neglected problems impacting unfolding events. The presentation took place in Milan, Italy, on May 14, 2014 under the auspices of the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
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(RFE/RL – rferl.org – May 25, 2014) There are still plenty of ways Russia can continue to meddle in Ukraine’s affairs. But with Petro Poroshenko’s apparent victory in the May 25 presidential election amid a solid turnout, Kyiv may have turned a corner. RFE/RL’s Brian Whitmore speaks to longtime Russia-watcher Edward Lucas, senior editor of the British weekly “The Economist.” RFE/RL: What is your […]
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Subject: The Speech I Hope Ukraine’s New President Gives at the Inauguration Ceremony Date: Sun, 25 May 2014 From: Tom Thomson <tom.thomson@tthomsonassociates.com> The Speech I Hope Ukraine’s New President Gives at the Inauguration Ceremony By Tom Thomson, Principal, T. Thomson & Associates, LLC. As I think about Sunday’s presidential election in strife torn Ukraine, I am reminded of US President […]
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MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Russian State Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin said Monday that Sunday’s presidential election in Ukraine was a step away from lawlessness and toward a lawful government in Kiev. “In general, the election is a step forward to return the legal environment to the state,” said Naryshkin, the speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament. “This […]
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MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novost, Daria Chernyshova) – The future of dialogue between Moscow and Kiev depends on likely incoming Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s policy towards the country’s eastern regions, Nicolai Petro, a professor of international politics at the University of Rhode Island told RIA Novosti Monday. “Very much will depend on whether or not Petro Poroshenko can establish effective […]
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KIEV, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Ex-boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, who claimed victory Sunday in Kiev’s mayoral vote, said that the Maidan protests have fulfilled their task and barricades in downtown Kiev must be dismantled. “I firmly confirm that the key task of the Maidan is fulfilled,” Klitschko told journalists Monday. “I am convinced that the barricades, to date, have […]
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KIEV, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Ukraine’s membership in NATO is off the table for now, but its future in the military alliance will depend on Russia’s plan of action, the Ukrainian acting foreign chief said Monday. “I can say for sure that Ukraine is not going to raise the question of its NATO membership any time soon. It runs […]
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MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Petro Poroshenko, who, with ballots still being tallied, is leading in Ukraine’s presidential race, has said that he intends to spearhead the creation of a new security framework that would replace the Budapest Memorandum. The Memorandum on Security Assurances was signed in Budapest on December 5, 1994 by Russia, Great Britain, the United States […]
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(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – Alexey Eremenko – May 26, 2014) As Ukrainians cast their votes for a new president on Sunday, analysts said the election was unlikely to fully stabilize the situation in the strife-ridden nation – partly because it would be in Moscow’s best interest to keep its smaller neighbor mired in conflict. “Instability in Ukraine is a […]
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(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Robert Coalson – May 26, 2014) Chocolate magnate Petro Poroshenko seems set to be declared the outright winner of Ukraine’s May 25 presidential election. But even before the confetti hits the floor, he’ll have to start tackling some daunting tasks to stabilize a country in the grips of economic, political, and geopolitical crises. Here are a few of […]
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KYIV. May 26 (Interfax) – The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (ODIHR/OSCE) has praised the way the voting process was organized in Ukraine and hopes the vote counting will be completed before June 7. We shall stay here until all the results have been counted and all complaints considered, […]
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(Business New Europe – bne.eu – Ben Aris in Moscow – May 26, 2014) Ukraine wakes up this morning on May 26 to a totally different country; one with a legitimate president and a chance to finally start rebuilding from the ruins left following the ouster of Viktor Yanukovych. The so-called Chocolate King, Petro Poroshenko, stormed the Ukrainian presidential elections […]
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(Bloomberg – bloomberg.com – Nicole Gaouette, Daryna Krasnolutska – May 24, 2014) The risk of Russia invading Ukraine is as high as at any time since the crisis began, with Kremlin agents stoking unrest in the east of the country preparing for elections tomorrow, according to Ukraine’s envoy to the U.S. Russia hasn’t taken any “practical steps” to ease tensions […]
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(Antony Penaud – May 23, 2014) Antony Penaud <antonypenaud@yahoo.fr> received a DPhil in applied mathematics from Somerville College, University of Oxford, UK, in 2000. In the last few years, he has noticed the development of anti-Russia campaigns in the Western media. The quasi-uniform reporting of the Ukraine crisis has led him to write this essay. He is French and lives […]
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