Latest Articles
The Sino-Russian Race to sell Arms
By Sergei ZaitsevIn 1989, following the Tiananmen Square incident, China was chastised by all of her suitors. The U.S., France, and Britain, all of whom eagerly sold weapons to China throughout the 1980’s, slapped Beijing with an arms embargo that still remains in effect (although... MORE
An Unintended Effect of Russia’s Open Game: Major Schism in the Georgian Opposition
By Giorgi KvelashviliThere were times when Russian leaders and their junior partners in the radical Georgian opposition often acted in dissonance and the Kremlin’s rhetoric and action did not necessarily coincide with the ups and downs in the Georgian radicals’ statements and street functions, unwaveringly... MORE
Russia’s Georgia Policy in Essence
By Giorgi KvelashviliThe leader from the Russian-occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia Sergei Baghapsh will spend two days in Moscow to meet with Russia’s leaders—President Medvedev, Prime Minister Putin, and Patriarch Kirill. As reported by the media, several documents will be signed during his visit, including... MORE
Czeching Out
By Jiri KominekSince Vladimir Putin and his brotherhood of siloviki came to power at the start of the decade, Russia quickly gained a reputation as an exporter of oil, gas and other raw materials; in short, a Saudi-Arabian-like petro state with more trees and less... MORE
The Gryzlov-Noghaideli Pact: The Kremlin’s Georgia Project Takes Shape and Substance
By Giorgi KvelashviliZurab Noghaideli, Georgia’s ex-prime minister who now leads the pro-Russian Movement for a Just Georgia, in a little more than two months travelled several times to Moscow. During one of his December visits, he was even lucky enough to secure an audience with... MORE
Property Rights in Russian-Occupied Abkhazia: Now a Cause for Tension between the Kremlin and Its Tiny Protégé
By Giorgi KvelashviliOn February 3, the Russian newspaper Moskovskij Komsomolets, which is close to Russia’s ruling circles, published an article with a rather loud title, “Abkhazia Gains Independence from…the Russian Federation”. The newspaper asserted that “in the new state [Abkhazia], the Russian-speaking population is deprived... MORE
Ukraine Preliminary Election Results – What Will Tymoshenko Do?
by Tammy LynchUPDATE (6:30 AM): See below a video clip of Yanukovych speaking during his victory speech, with English translation by AFP. Blog after the video. With almost 92% of the vote counted, it appears that Viktor Yanukovych will hold off Yulia Tymoshenko to win... MORE
Exit Poll Results
by Tammy LynchIt would appear, from the unanimous findings of a multitude of exit polls, that Viktor Yanukovych has done just enough to be name president in Ukraine.Graphs of the exit polls can be found here. In Ukrainian, but Yanukovch is in blue, Tymoshenko in... MORE
Reports of Potential Election Irregularities in Ukraine?
by Tammy Lynch(UPDATE 8 AM EST: The Central Election Commission confirmed the death by apparent heart attack of the Ivano-Frankivsk polling precinct secretary, but said precinct ballots were undisturbed. This contradicts claims by candidate Yulia Tymoshenko's campaign manager that the ballots were missing. See below.)In... MORE
Farewell, Mr. President
Photo Credit: Tammy Lynch. Yushchenko on the screen speaking during "Orange Revolution" in 2004.by Tammy LynchAs Ukrainians go to the polls today, they will be saying good bye to the man they once supported in what was termed the “Orange Revolution.” President Viktor Yushchenko was... MORE