War in Ukraine: A struggle over Russia’s identity
By Janusz Bugajski, for CEPA
As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its fifth year, two recently published books illuminate the fundamental motives for Moscow’s ongoing offensive....
Kremlin Watch Briefing: “Normal course of diplomacy” between the United States and Russia?
Topics of the Week
“Normal course of diplomacy”: The Trump administration has scheduled talks to be held in late January between the head of US...
The “Chechen” Clone of Instagram: Not as Good – Part I
By Polygraph
Ramzan Kadyrov
Head of Chechnya
“There is a new social network being tested in Chechnya @ Mylistory, which is as good as the foreign ones”
Source:...
Putin Invaded Ukraine to Prevent ‘Ukrainian’ Ideas from Spreading into Russia, Shmelyev Says
The main reason Vladimir Putin invaded Crimea and the Donbass, Aleksandr Shmelyev says, is that he feared that the ideas that had animated Ukrainians...
“Rough…Brutal… Immoral… Interference” in Russia’s Internal Affairs
By Polygraph
Dmitry Novikov
Deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma’s foreign affairs committee
“The appearance of a Boris Nemtsov plaza in Washington is interference in Russia’s...
Edward Lucas: The repressive state
By Edward Lucas, for CEPA
How many political prisoners languish in Russia’s jails and penal colonies? The short answer is that nobody knows. Harassment makes...
Moldovan Parliament Speaker Passes Law Against Russian Propaganda
By RFE/RL
The speaker of Moldova's parliament, Andrian Candu, has signed legislation appointing seven new government ministers along with a law that bans Russian "media...
Netizen Report: Iranian authorities are blocking international web traffic and messaging platforms
By byNetizen Report Team, for Global Voices
Global Voices Advocacy's Netizen Report offers an international snapshot of challenges, victories, and emerging trends in Internet rights...
Fake: Hepatitis A Epidemic in Ukraine
Russia’s Defense Ministry television channel Zvezda declared that a Hepatitis A epidemic was raging in Ukraine. Similar stories appeared in other Russian media based...
Automated, live fact-checks during the State of the Union? The Tech & Check Cooperative’s...
Is automated fact-checking the “holy grail” for this corner of journalism?
By Christine Schmidt, for NiemanLab
Instead of watching the upcoming State of the Union address with...