Clashes between far-right and pro-Russian activists spoilt the Victory Day ceremonies in the Western Ukrainian city of Lviv on May 9. Militants from the far-right Freedom Party beat up pro-Russian activists, who arrived in Lviv from Russophone southern regions, clashed with police, burnt red flags... MORE

The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, stated on April 28 that the renowned human rights activist Natalya Estemirova had not helped to protect people. “I defend human rights here in the republic,” he said, adding “She did not help us.” Kadyrov spoke via a TV... MORE

Turkey still remains occupied with the popular uprising in the Middle East and North Africa. Although some critics argued that Turkey reacted rather late to support the pro-democratic demonstrations in Egypt, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s strongly-worded call for Hosni Mubarak to leave power... MORE

Much of the western attention to the Franco-Russian political agreement on the procurement of the helicopter landing dock Mistral for the Russian Navy emphasizes its potential “power projection” capability. NATO members, including the Baltic States, have misinterpreted remarks by the naval top brass and laid... MORE

A tense situation prevails in the Belarusian capital of Minsk after a series of political and economic events placed unusual pressure on the Lukashenka regime. These include an unresolved terrorist attack on April 11, a new crackdown on opposition figures, a 20 percent rise in... MORE

These are trying times for Russian arms sellers. UN resolutions have closed much of the Iranian markets. Revolutionary violence in Syria and Libya has stopped billions of dollars in sales to those countries. Chinese competition is now putting Russian producers under considerable pressure in the... MORE

The maiden test flight in January 2011 of China's J-20 stealth fighter prototype is an important strategic milestone in several different respects, and is part of an ongoing effort by China to develop advanced military technology [1]. The J-20 is the first combat aircraft developed... MORE

Following the flare up of tensions over the territorial dispute in the South China Sea last year, there was a hope and expectation among security analysts that in 2011 the claimants would recalibrate their policies, adopt more flexible and conciliatory positions, and prioritize the search... MORE

Against the backdrop of an uptick in confrontations over the past two years that punctured China's "charm offensive" in Asia, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has apparently been tasked to undertake damage control. China's increased assertiveness in territorial disputes with its neighbors has lead to... MORE

The Kavkazsky Uzel website today (May 6) quoted a Chechen law-enforcement source as saying that a group of up to 15 militants spotted earlier this week in a wooded mountainous area between the villages of Shalazhi and Roshin-Chu in Chechnya’s Urus-Martan district managed to escape... MORE