Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine first began in 2014, Russian aggression has included often-overlooked religious elements accompanied by the cynical use of religious narratives weaponized by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. Ukrainian religious communities in areas under Russian occupation have faced years of suppression and discrimination. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion
As the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine moves toward the two-year mark, Vladimir Putin is still far from achieving his original goal of extinguishing Ukrainian independence and subjugating the entire country. Nevertheless, there are no indications that the Russian dictator is looking to end the war. On the contrary, Putin evidently believes time is on
For more than 600 days, Ukraine has demonstrated remarkable resilience as the country defends itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion. With the war now widely expected to continue into 2024 and possibly beyond, Ukraine will need significant additional financial support from its partners in order to defeat Russia. The Ukrainian economy is currently recovering more quickly
The Russian authorities detained Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalist Alsu Kurmasheva on October 18 for failing to register as a foreign agent. Kurmasheva holds both US and Russian citizenship, making her the second American journalist to be arrested in Russia so far this year. Kurmasheva’s detention comes following the arrest of Wall Street Journal reporter
Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine was on the verge of advancing historic electoral reforms. Long fought for, these reforms aimed to further ensure free and fair elections. The war has largely halted those efforts and has created new vulnerabilities for future elections. However, if Ukraine implements the right electoral reforms now, it can emerge from
If Winston Churchill were still with us, he would surely be advising Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to ignore international pressure to call elections. Much like Ukrainians in 2023, the British in 1940 were fighting a war of national survival. Every October for five consecutive years, the wartime British government led by Winston Churchill obtained legislative
When the bombs first began falling on Kyiv in February 2022, I thought the Russian people would immediately recognize the senselessness of it all and rise up to stop the war. After all, for more than seventy years since the end of World War II, Russians had joined their fellow Europeans in proclaiming “never again.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Ukrainian soccer legend Andriy Shevchenko as an official advisor on September 26. This appointment reflects the contribution Shevchenko and other high-profile footballers have made toward keeping Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression in the international spotlight. At a time when many in Kyiv are alarmed by the prospect of mounting “Ukraine
Ukraine and Moldova stand at a crossroads as both countries seek to strengthen their institutions to stamp out corruption and accelerate their integration with Europe. In the midst of Ukraine’s current fight for national survival, the country’s government continues to implement ambitious anti-corruption policies to strengthen the integrity of its public institutions and maintain a
Coming just days before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House, the September 16 premiere of an audacious new 90-minute play, Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion, at Washington’s Woolly Mammoth Theater, could hardly have been more timely. Written by the playwright Sasha Denisova and directed by Yury Urnov, this new theatrical production highlights
