Putin is on the back foot in Ukraine, again
I thought it worth updating my thoughts on Ukraine, and particularly where this war is going as the duration and ultimate damage done by the conflict will be key to understanding the longer term econo
Factors to Signal Ukraine’s Approaching Victory
Today, it is impossible to predict when and how this Russian–Ukrainian war will end or what Ukraine’s victory will amount to. However, we can clearly formulate our goals and point out some factors sig
War diary: Can it get any worse?
The question “Can it get any worse?” has kept popping into my head lately. All the time it seems as if it can’t, but Russia proves that it can. And when it seems as if there could be no more hatred in
Vengeance is a Bitter Word
On some days, the news coming from the east and south of Ukraine is so tragic that even the air seems to stop moving. It grows dark and stuffy, and one’s lips can no longer form any kind of smile. Tha
The Week in Ukraine: Counterattacks, Murder of Prisoners and Political Power Play
The enemy’s military operations have slowed as the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) conduct “creeping counterattacks” in the Kherson region. Meanwhile, the killing of captured Azov prisoners by the Russi
Escape from Mariupol: A Survival Story
Maksym Sieroshtanov is 34. He, like me, works in television, but we didn’t meet through work. Maksym, along with his wife and daughter, were evacuated from Mariupol in late March. We met online while
After 150 Days of Russia’s Intensified War in Ukraine – Random Reflections
Ukraine – birth pains of a determined independent nation Ukraine as a state has revealed itself to be strong and courageous. No political expert can argue it is in any way a “failed state.” In the ear
Ukraine Needs More Financial Support
Ukraine needs twice as much financial support this year as it has been promised so far, while only half of what has been promised has been disbursed. Ukraine’s financial situation is becoming desperat
Russia: A Terrorist State!
In December 1988, Pan Am flight 103 exploded over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 270 people. Most of the dead were students taking advantage of discounted travel from Europe to the U.S. for t
Is the West Ready for Russia at its Worst?
It is often suggested that Russia will be different once Vladimir Putin, portrayed as the ultimate villain du jour, has faded from the political scene. However, with the military aggression ongoing, i
Putin’s Useful Idiots
There is an operational pause on the frontline, yet heavy local battles are on-going, Russia is continuing to terrorize peaceful cities and is trying to organize an attack on the information front usi
What next for Kherson and the threat of a Russian “referendum”?
Russian troops began to occupy Ukraine’s Kherson region – located in the south of Ukraine, bordering Crimea – on day one of the full-scale invasion. Now, almost the whole region is under occupation. A
President-elect Donald Trump set a deadline for a cease-fire for January 20, the day he’s to be inaugurated. So far, only Ukraine has shifted its position since his re-election to start talks.
Dec. 17