Monthly Archives: February 2020

How Religious History Helps Us Understand Russia's War Against Ukrainian Independence

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by Khrystyna Karelska and Andreas Umland Khrystyna Karelska is an alumna of the College of Europe in Natolin and Democracy Study Centre in Kyiv. She is a student of the East European Multiparty Democracy School and an intern-analyst of the Public Association “Community Associations”in Odesa.  Andreas Umland is a Nonresident Fellow at the Center for European Security of the Institute of International Relations in

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Russia accuses Norway of violating Svalbard Treaty

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The Russian Embassy in Norway said that Oslo violates its obligations under the Svalbard archipelago treaty. “There are problems with Svalbard [Treaty]. Our issues are practical and need to be addressed,” reads the statement published on the Russian Embassy’s Facebook page. According to the Russian Embassy, Oslo violates the agreement because it issues “permits for the development of oil and

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Russia to deploy two high frequency radars in Arctic ‘to counter hypersonic missile threats’

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Rezonans-N radar stations capable of detecting hypersonic missiles will be deployed in the Kola Peninsula before the end of the year, reports TASS citing a source in the Russian defense industry. “To improve the combat capabilities of the Northern Fleet, two Rezonans-N stations will be deployed in the Kola Peninsula in 2020. One radar has already been installed, the second

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Russia prepares to simplify citizenship in order to “protect its citizens”

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In Russia we intend to simplify the procedure for admission of foreigners into the Russian citizenship. This was reported by Kommersant with reference to sources in the working group on the implementation of the Concept of State Migration Policy. According to the amendments to the Law on Citizenship of the Russian Federation, which are being prepared for consideration by the State Duma, it will

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EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, U.S. State Secretary discuss situation in Ukraine's Donbas

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They also discussed the wider situation in the Middle East, including Syria and Libya. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have discussed the situation in Donbas, Ukraine’s east. “The High Representative and the Secretary of State also discussed the conflict in eastern Ukraine, the

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Trump wishes to improve relations with Russian Federation

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Ambassador Sullivan examines ways of constructive interaction between the United States and the Russian government US. President Donald Trump wished relations between Moscow and Washington would become better. U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan has already received instructions from the President to work towards this goal, RBC reports. “President Donald Trump instructed Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan to do everything

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Ukrainian parliament delays adoption of law on farmland sales

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By Natalia Datskevych. Published Feb. 8. Updated Feb. 8 at 4:36 pm The leader of the Batkivshchyna party, ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, and her colleagues protest against the land reform during a session of the parliament in Kyiv on Feb. 6, 2020.Photo by Oleg Petrasiuk The adoption of a historic bill to lift the ban on buying and selling Ukraine’s farmland may be

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Ukrainian TV channel 1+1 claims series better sold in Russian

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When producer of series and films at the 1+1 Media Olena Eremeeva said that the Ukrainian language suits only for comedies, while soap operas are sold better in Russian, it provoked a storm of criticism on the social media, with Ukrainians calling her statement “shameful” and “disrespectful.” The controversy followed Eremeeva’s claim made during the presentation on Feb. 4, when she said that,

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Hungarian Foreign Minister Visits Kyiv In Effort To Mend Relations

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Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto says his country would like improve relations with Ukraine amid a dispute over a controversial language law. The remarks came on February 7 during a visit to Kyiv by Szijjarto, his first trip to Hungary’s eastern neighbor since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was elected last year. “The Hungarian government is interested in renewing good neighborly

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Whistle-Blower Snowden Seeks Extension Of Russian Residence Permit, Says Lawyer

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Former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, who was granted asylum in Russia, is preparing to apply for the extension of his Russian residence permit which expires in April, his lawyer Anatoly Kucherena told Russian media on February 7. Snowden has been living in Russia since 2013 after he revealed details of secret surveillance programs by U.S. intelligence agencies.

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Sea Breeze 2020: Japan and South Korea to join international exercises in Ukraine

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22:25, 8 February 2020 In total, about 20 countries will take part in military drills this year. Japan and South Korea will join the Sea Breeze annual international exercises which to take place in Odesa in 2020. This was reported by the press office of Ukrainian Border Service.  “An important indicator of this year was the involvement of new participants,

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Ukraine's parliament speaker says all laws exist to hold elections in Donbas

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17:22, 08 February 2020 According to Razumkov, the Minsk agreements did not specify the law for holding elections, but only indicated they should be held under Ukrainian law. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Razumkov has said there are all legislative acts in accordance with the Minsk agreements to hold elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Donbas.

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Putin, Lukashenka Make Little Reported Progress At Sochi Talks On Energy, Integration

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February 07, 2020 18:18 GMT UPDATED February 08, 2020 11:41 GMT Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, made little reported progress during talks on the thorny issues of energy prices and closer integration. The two met at Putin’s residence in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi on February 7 amid increasing economic pressure by Moscow on Minsk.

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