A radical outburst of demonstrations on Hrushevskoho Street and European Square in Kyiv on January 22 resulted in the reported deaths of two protesters from rifle bullet wounds (https://www.unian.ua/politics/875144-pershi-jertvi-protistoyannya-troe-zagiblih-na-grushevskogo.html). The violence began on January 19 when a group of protesters attempted an assault on a... MORE

On January 17, Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev made his traditional address to the nation, unveiling the key aspects of this year’s government agenda. While most of his speech was dedicated to the implementation of the “Kazakhstan 2050 strategy,” an ambitious program aiming to catapult the... MORE

A flurry of pronouncements about a Belarusian “national idea” has continued. Unusually, however, it is not only opposition-minded Belarusians who are now talking publicly about what it means to be a Belarusian; President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has weighed in on this topic as well (see EDM,... MORE

The nationalism of one nation almost inevitably comes into conflict with the nationalisms of others, precisely because its celebration of its uniqueness and even superiority inevitably offends those who have the same feelings about their own but different nations. Yet, Russian President Vladimir Putin is... MORE

On January 14, an expert report on the current situation and future evolution of the North Caucasus was released in Moscow. The report scathingly criticizes Russian government policies in the region and describes region as being in a state of ongoing crisis. Unlike many other... MORE

For Tajikistan, the year 2013 was characterized by apparent tranquility even as the underlying sources of potential instability grew stronger. On the home front, the year was highlighted by a fraudulent presidential election and continued harassment of media and opposition figures, culminating in the highly... MORE

In December 2013, Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a new law to simplify the issuing of work permits to foreign migrant workers by individual Kazakhstani citizens. The more flexible regulations, which will take effect in a few weeks, contrast with the increasingly severe labor rules... MORE

Dagestan’s Khasavyurt district has a long border with Chechnya. Moreover, a significant number of ethnic Chechens ended up in Dagestan after their territory was handed over to Dagestan in 1922 (https://megabook.ru/article/%D0%90%D0%9A%D0%9A%D0%98%D0%9D%D0%A6%D0%AB). After the influx of Chechen refugees during the first Russian-Chechen war, the overall number... MORE

Following the winter holiday break, the Ukrainian parliament—the Verkhovna Rada—reconvened and, on January 16, passed perhaps the most controversial set of bills in the country’s history. These bills were subsequently signed into law by President Viktor Yanukovych on January 17. The controversial legislation allows the... MORE

Recently published detailed analysis of Belarus’s economic problems on the Russian analytical portal Regnum (https://www.regnum.ru/news/1752886.html) is couched in stridently negative terms. The highlights include a decline of industrial exports to Russia because of lower (recession-conditioned) demand and heightened competition due to Russia’s accession to the... MORE