Mykola Vorobiov
Mykola Vorobiov is a Ukrainian political, investigative and military correspondent. Since the Russian annexation of Crimea and further incursion into eastern Ukraine, Mykola spent over seven months covering the most dramatic developments on the front line. During his work, he had many chances to interview captured separatists, Russian mercenaries and regular troops. He was formerly an Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation Fellow at the Johns Hopkins University School for Advanced and International Studies (SAIS), Washington, DC.
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Articles by Mykola Vorobiov
President Zelenskyy Confronts Top Ukrainian Oligarch
For the past several weeks, much of the world’s attention has been focused on an apparent Russian buildup of forces near the Ukrainian and Belarusian borders, raising fears that Moscow
Ukrainian Anti-Oligarch Law Inadvertently Shines Spotlight on Russian-Linked Members of Presidential Entourage
On September 22, someone fired shots at the car of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s first aide, Serhiy Shefir. The attack unfolded near the village of Lisnyky, outside Kyiv. According to
Biden-Putin Summit Sparks Political Confrontations Inside Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s planned visit to Washington in July is set to take place amidst the lowest level of trust with The White House in years. After Presidents Joseph
Escalation Around Donbas: Is the Ukrainian Army Prepared for Full-Scale Russian Aggression?
Military tensions along the Russian-Ukrainian border reached a near-boiling point in recent weeks. During March–April, Moscow amassed as many as 110,000 troops and 56 permanent-readiness battalion tactical groups (BTG) close
Analyst Mykola Vorobiov Interviewed in Politico About Ukrainian Armed Forces
On April 14, Politico published an article on the Ukrainian Armed Forces that included commentary from Jamestown analyst Mykola Vorobiov, relating his observations of troop morale during his recent trip
While Zelenskyy Promises Peace, Ukraine’s Army Faces Serious Challenges
On March 3, the Russian proxy representatives of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) reportedly gave permission to their military to launch preemptive attacks against Ukrainian forces along the frontline
The Pro-Russian Forces Behind Ukraine’s Constitutional Crisis
On October 27, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (CCU) canceled the requirement for government officials and supreme judges to file electronic declarations of all their assets, including salaries, property and
Pro-Russian Blogger Anatoliy Shariy Rises to National Level in Ukrainian Politics
The ongoing COVID-19 crisis notwithstanding, Ukrainian politics has thoroughly entered campaign mode with local elections scheduled for this coming October. According to the Kyiv-based pollster Rating Group, as of a
Looming Confrontation in President Zelenskyy’s Entourage Could Lead to Reset of Ukrainian Government
The recent appointment of Andriy Yermak to head the Ukrainian Presidential Office (see EDM, February 21) could increase tensions between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and oligarch Ihor Kolomoysky; while the long-serving
Ukrainian Voters Upend Their Parliament
On July 21, Ukrainians went to the polls for the third time this year to vote for a new parliament in snap elections. According to the preliminary results, President Voldymyr
Pro-Russia Loyalists Try to Ramp up Their Activities Ahead of Ukrainian Elections
The Ukrainian snap parliamentary elections are scheduled for July 21. According to the latest opinion survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KMIS), at least four political parties
Sharpened Rhetoric Increases Ahead of Second Round of Ukrainian Presidential Elections
As Ukrainians prepare to vote for a president in the runoff scheduled for April 21, electoral rhetoric is becoming increasingly divisive and, in some cases, more extreme. In the first
Kremlin’s Destabilization Strategy Ahead of Ukrainian Presidential Elections
Expectations are high that Russia will attempt to interfere in the upcoming Ukrainian presidential elections, scheduled for March 31. Having failed, since 2014, to force Kyiv back into its orbit
Oligarchs and Their Media Outlets Influence Ukrainian Presidential Elections
Five years since the EuroMaidan and “Revolution of Dignity” fervently rejected systemic corruption and graft, Ukrainian politics continues to experience enormous influence from local oligarchs. In this environment, Ukraine’s presidential
Tymoshenko Reveals ‘Peace Plan’ for Eastern Ukraine as She Ramps up Presidential Campaign to Challenge Poroshenko
Ukraine’s presidential campaign is in full swing. Five months out from the election (the first round is scheduled for March 31), it remains entirely unclear who the next head of
Ukrainian Government Tries to Expel Foreign Volunteer Fighters
Recent tensions between local members of volunteer battalions and the police threaten to spark another wave of protests in Ukraine on the fifth anniversary of the EuroMaidan revolution. In mid-September,
Ukrainian Orthodox Church Seeks Independence From Russian Patriarchate
On July 27–28, Ukrainian Orthodox Christians will celebrate the 1,030th anniversary since the medieval Eastern European state of Kievan Rus was baptized by Volodymir the Great in the tenth century.
Babchenko’s Staged Assassination: Political Consequences for Ukraine and the West
In the week since Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko’s staged assassination on May 29 (see EDM, May 31), plenty of smoke and dozens of unanswered questions remain. At this point, Ukrainian
The Brewing Threat of Worsening Tensions Between the Ukrainian President and Interior Minister
In late October, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) detained the interior minister’s son, Oleksandr Avakov. Allegedly, he was indicted in a corruption scheme that cost the Ukrainian budget