Latest Eurasia Daily Monitor Articles

Armenia Plans More NATO-Backed Defense Reforms

In the latest manifestation of its delicate balancing act between Russia and the West, Armenia has announced plans for a further reform of its armed forces stemming from its growing ties with NATO. Undaunted by a possible negative reaction from Moscow, official Yerevan also seems... MORE

Russian Armed Forces Reform: VDV Experiences Zero Progress

On August 2, the elite Russian Airborne Forces (Vozdushno Desantnye Voiska –VDV) celebrated its 81st anniversary. Senior officers in the VDV commented on their experience of what the defense ministry calls the “new look.” Lieutenant-General Vladimir Shamanov, the Commander of the VDV, confirmed that the... MORE

Western Debates On Belarus

The continuing economic problems in Belarus combined with the harsh crackdowns on public actions, such as clapping in unison, have led Western analysts to debate current policies on dealing with the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Opinion remains deeply divided on the best course of action.Senior... MORE

Medvedev Reflects On the Georgia War and On Himself

President Dmitry Medvedev’s interview on August 5 about the causes and consequences of the August 2008 war with Georgia contained little news and more than a few lies, but it still sheds some interesting light on the current political disarray in Russia. Shunning the official... MORE

Tymoshenko Arrested, Ukrainian Foreign Policy Moves Toward a Crisis

The arrest of opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko on August 5 derails Ukraine’s integration into Europe at the same time as its relations with Russia are poor (video of arrest here: https://www.pravda.com.ua/photo-video/2011/08/5/6454611/).The disunited opposition has rallied to Tymoshenko’s side with Arseniy Yatseniuk’s Front for Change issuing... MORE

Russia Seeks Refinery Sector Modernization

The Russian authorities have repeatedly pledged to modernize the country’s oil sector, including its refinery facilities. However, many Russian oil companies appear reluctant to increase investment in the modernization of the refinery sector. Instead, Russian oil producers have been building small refinery outlets, despite governmental... MORE