Ukraine Live Day 668: Savchenko To Go On Hunger Strike As Court Extends Detention Until April

December 17, 2015

Yesterday’s live coverage of the Ukraine conflict can be found here. Please help The Interpreter to continue providing this valuable information service by making a donation towards our costs. For links to individual updates click on the timestamps. For the latest summary of evidence surrounding the shooting down of flight MH17 see our separate article: […]

Russia Update: Reporters Hope to Ask Tough Questions on Official Corruption at Putin’s Marathon Press Conference

President Vladimir Putin is holding his annual marathon press conference today, taking questions from both state and independent journalists. Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian government’s foreign and domestic policies. The previous issue is here. Recent Translations: –The Non-Hybrid War –Kashin Explains […]

Gay Rights and the Legacy of the Sochi Winter Olympics Two Years Later

December 16, 2015

The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics were supposed to highlight how Russia has become a 21st-century leader in the international community. In reality, they spotlighted how Putin’s rule had encouraged corruption and human rights violations to become the new-old norm. The Games also drew criticism for Russia’s new “anti-gay propaganda” law, widely seen as license for […]

Putin In Syria: A Diplomatic Breakthrough, Or More Wishful Thinking?

US Secretary of State John Kerry is in Moscow to discuss Syria and Ukraine, and may have negotiated changes to the US’s position that the Assad regime needs to be removed. The previous post in our Putin in Syria column can be found here. Russia Detains 27 Turkish Ships; Turkey Detains 8 Russian Ships in […]

Two Outrageous Russian Charges Point to New Dangers Ahead for Ukraine

Staunton, December 16 – Two new and completely outrageous Russian charges – that the Crimean Tatars are under the control of Turkish intelligence and that the Ukrainian Library in Moscow was involved in the preparation of terrorist actions in the Russian capital – point to a new round of increased dangers for Ukraine. Since the […]

Russia Update: 85% of Russians Get Their News From TV But Nearly Half Don’t Trust It

A recent Levada poll in Russia has found that most Russians, 85%, get their news from television stations, which are mainly state-owned or pro-Kremlin, but nearly half, or 41%, don’t trust the news they are getting. Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian […]

Ukraine Live Day 667: One Ukrainian Soldier Killed With Kiev Claiming ‘Provocative Fire’ Near Donetsk And Gorlovka

Yesterday’s live coverage of the Ukraine conflict can be found here. Please help The Interpreter to continue providing this valuable information service by making a donation towards our costs. For links to individual updates click on the timestamps. For the latest summary of evidence surrounding the shooting down of flight MH17 see our separate article: […]

Russia Update: Putin Slashes Fine for Truckers with Overweight Loads, Raises Minimum Wage

December 15, 2015

Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian government’s foreign and domestic policies. The previous issue is here. Recent Translations: –The Non-Hybrid War –Kashin Explains His ‘Letter to Leaders’ on ‘Fontanka Office’ –TV Rain Interviews Volunteer Fighter Back from Donbass –‘I Was on Active […]

Ukraine Live Day 666: Avakov Throws Water In Saakashvili’s Face As Tensions Erupt

Yesterday’s live coverage of the Ukraine conflict can be found here. Please help The Interpreter to continue providing this valuable information service by making a donation towards our costs. For links to individual updates click on the timestamps. For the latest summary of evidence surrounding the shooting down of flight MH17 see our separate article: […]

Putin in Syria: US Secretary of State Kerry Arrives in Moscow for Talks with Lavrov and Putin

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Moscow today December 15 and has begun talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov primarily on Syria but also Ukraine. Later today he will meet with President Vladimir Putin. The previous post in our Putin in Syria column can be found here. Heavy Casualties Reported After Multiple […]