Staunton, March 17 — Many analysts in Russia and the West are seeking to explain what Vladimir Putin has done in Crimea in terms of a paradigm which no longer works, according to Moscow analyst Aleksandr Morozov, instead of recognizing that by his actions, Putin has shown himself to have fundamentally changed and to have fundamentally […]
Staunton, March 17 – Russia today is in an undeclared but all too real war with Ukraine, a situation that many fear is the prelude to a long period of black hundreds-style reaction, Vladimir Pastukhov Says. But history suggests that this war may have another outcome, a Russian defeat in Ukraine and an ensuing revolution […]
Staunton, March 17 – Russian nationalists claim that what the West did in the former Yugoslavia represents a precedent for what Moscow is doing in Ukraine now, but in fact, Yekaterinburg analyst Fedor Krasheninnikov says, there is no basis for such an analogy because “Crimea is not Kosovo” and Russia’s actions are in no way […]
Staunton, March 17 – Every language contains words which say more than those who use them intend or even recognize. One such word or better suffix in Russia is “podobny” which means “like” or “analogous to.” Thus, Russians sometimes speak of something being “science-like” — that is, something that looks like science but really isn’t. […]
The results of Crimea’s referendum were overwhelming in favor of joining Russia. The government in Ukraine, and most of the international community, does not recognize the referendum. With Russian and Ukrainian military forces digging in only kilometers from each other, the world waits to see what happens next. Yesterday’s liveblog can be found here. For an […]
Crimea has gone to the polls today to decide, nominally at least, between joining the Russian Federation or reverting to the 1992 Crimean consitution (a declaration of independence from Ukraine in all but name). The referendum has been condemned by both the Ukrainian government and almost all foreign states bar Venezuela, Syria and North Korea. […]
Has the war already started? There are unconfirmed reports of two dead in Kharkiv, an explosion at Kharkiv University, and Russian paratroopers on the ground in mainland Ukraine. We’ll be tracking developments and sorting rumor from report as the day goes on. Yesterday’s liveblog can be found here. For an overview and analysis of this […]
Today, all indications are that Russia is making preparations to invade Ukraine, not just Crimea but perhaps as far west as Kharkiv, or even beyond. Whether Russia will invade or not is still anyone’s guess, but it’s not just troop movements that we’re watching. Russia is, at the very least, prepared to use their ability […]
Yesterday, Russian tanks, APCs, and troops were seen mobilizing just north of Kharkiv, a few kilometers from the border with Ukraine. Today, the Russian Defense Ministry calls these movements “drills.” Yesterday’s liveblog can be found here. For an overview and analysis of this developing story see see our latest podcast. Please help The Interpreter to continue providing this valuable […]
Other than the repeated denunciations of the west aggravating the situation by a coterie of Russian government officials (Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu dismissed claims that Russian troops were in Crimea as an “act of provocation” and “utter nonsense”), one would be hard pressed to find any serious commentator still denying that the troops blockading Ukrainian […]
