Eastern Europe / Features
Relokanty: Is Russia’s loss Central Asia’s gain?
Maximising the benefits of Russia’s surprising exodus.
A private company is building Belarus President Lukashenko a luxurious bolthole in Russia's Sochi – investigation
A private company linked to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is reportedly constructing a luxurious bolthole with hotel, restaurant and chalets in Russia’s mountainous village of Krasnaya Polyana, near Sochi, a joint investigation found.
New India-Europe transit corridor set to challenge IMEC, Suez routes
The battle of the corridors is heating up as India promotes a new India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) route that will connect the subcontinent with Europe by traversing the Middle East over land then sea to the EU via Haifa in Israel.
The Kremlin scores propaganda points with a display of captured tanks and armour ahead of the Victory Day parade
An exhibition of captured military trophies has opened in Moscow, ahead of the May 9 annual Victory Day parade, showing off Nato armour and vehicles captured by Russian forces in the Ukraine conflict.
Russia’s poorest regions amongst the biggest winners from the war spending
Russia’s heavy military spending is acting as an income inequality equaliser. A raft of Russia’s poorest regions are the biggest winner from the militarisation of the Russian economy, as state money pours into fixing up regional factories.
Russia’s government to change following Putin inauguration
Russian President Vladimir Putin will be sworn in for his fifth term in office on May 7 and, according to the Russian constitution, the government must resign.
Russian technology imports at pre-war levels, tougher export controls needed – Bruegel
Russia’s imports of Western technology have reached pre-war levels and the export control regime to stop the trade is full of holes. Tougher rules, enforcement and bigger fines are needed to curb the trade, according to a report by Bruegel.
KSE: Russian oil revenues rising, tougher sanctions needed on shadow fleet
Russian oil export revenues surged to $17.2bn in March 2024, driven by higher global oil prices and increased crude export volumes, according to the April ‘Russian Oil Tracker’ by KSE Institute.
Putin promises long-term stability, a more equitable tax regime in the up-coming tax reform
Russian President Vladimir Putin promised a planned tax overhaul would increase inflows to the state budget, benefit low-income families and provide long-term stability for Russian corporates at his meeting with the big business lobbying group.
Fears grow of Russian interference in Central European media space
At the same time, in Poland and Hungary, social networking sites and messaging apps are considered more free and more trustworthy than mainstream media, according to new poll.
Cheap Russian drones overwhelm US-made Abrams tanks, taken out of action
Ukrainian forces are withdrawing U.S.-provided Abrams M1A1 battle tanks from the front lines after at least 5 have been destroyed by cheap Russian drones.
Putinomics: Russia’s oil and gas revenue to double in April
Russia’s oil and gas revenues surged in the first three months of this year by 79%, but Reuters calculated they will double in April compared to the same month a year earlier, the newswire reported on April 24.
Ukraine recovery: the mountain to climb
A new report released by the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) estimates the total damages from the Ukraine war at between $485bn and $1 trillion and notes that Western aid delivered thus far has been woefully inadequate for reconstruction.
CEE recovering but no full rebound in sight, says wiiw
Germany’s slow recovery is dampening growth prospects for Central and Southeast European economies.
_Cropped_1713795547.jpg)
Europe unlikely to tackle Russian LNG imports anytime soon
The European Parliament voted in favour of rules earlier this month that would enable individual EU member states to block Russian LNG imports, by preventing Russian companies from booking capacity at gas infrastructure.
Future of Emerging Europe’s hybrid regimes hangs in the balance
With Emerging Europe increasingly polarised between democracies and authoritarian states, it is unclear in which direction the hybrid regimes – which fall between the two camps – will go, says Freedom House.
US passes Ukraine aid package: what now?
The US stepped forward to rescue Ukraine on April 21 that has been staring defeat in the face, and not a moment too soon. But the aid won't solve many of Ukraine's remaining problems nor will it allow Kyiv to win the war.
Don't mention the "D" word - Ukraine
No one wants to mention the “D” word. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to pretend that Ukraine is not losing and getting closer to being defeated in the war with Russia.
Ukraine cattle and dairy industry in decline due to war, but expected to stabilize in 2024
Many of Ukraine’s cows have found themselves on the front line and some have been killed or were simply slaughtered when their owners fled the country to escape the invading Russian forces in 2022.
Will the Baku-Supsa pipeline become Azerbaijan's second oil export artery?
Despite the global "green transition," predictions of decreasing demand for fossil fuels have not yet been realized. And sanctions imposed on Russia are rewriting energy export routes.