Eastern Europe / Features
Ukraine becomes world's 4th largest arms importer, European imports soar
European arms imports were up by 94% in 2019-23, as Ukraine's allies send military aid while also arming themselves, says new SIPRI report.
Closing gender gap in workforce could double global growth rate says World Bank
Countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia have a lower gender gap than the global average but only Latvian women have equal legal standing with men.
NEO: EU ban on Russian aluminium may cause shortages, price surge
The EU has been discussing the possible ban of Russian aluminium for months but stopped short of taking such measures, If EU policymakers follow through on the suggestion in the next round of sanctions it could cause chaos on the metal markets.
Making drones in the kitchen: Ukrainian civilians rise to meet military shortages
With Western support for Ukraine’s war effort suffering as a result of the United States’ failure to agree on a new aid package, ordinary Ukrainian citizens are stepping up to the plate.
War and sanctions have forced Russia to make long overdue reforms
The pressure of the war in Ukraine has forced the Kremlin to push through a raft of long overdue reforms as its struggles to raise more revenues for the budget, increase the efficiency of the economy and keep the people happy.
Mongolia urged to “open door” to Russian Mongols who want return to ancestral roots
Campaigners want compatriots law that would apply to peoples of Russia’s Buddhist republics and minorities with Mongolic origins the world over.
LONG READ: China and Russia, the industrial production superpowers that could win a war
China is now "the world’s sole manufacturing superpower" and Russia’s productive capability is greater than that of Germany’s, according to recent studies on the changes to the world’s manufacturing make-up.
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In Ukraine’s Donbas, complex questions of identity and loyalty
An unrepentantly Russian Orthodox colony now finds itself accused of wavering loyalties by Ukraine’s political leadership.
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Lack of shipping capacity thwarts Russian LNG ambitions
Western sanctions are thwarting Russia’s planned expansion in the global LNG market.
US hit Russian banks with most effective sanctions yet
The US has unleashed two rounds of sanctions on Russia’s banks that are proving to be some of the most effective measures to curb Russia’s ability to do business yet.
KREMLIN LEAKS: how the Kremlin plans to fix the presidential elections
Leaked documents from the Kremlin have revealed details of President Vladimir Putin's meticulous plans for securing his re-election in March, VS Square reported on February 26.
Time to face some harsh realities about the war in Ukraine
The shock of Russia’s surprise invasion of Ukraine on February 24 two years ago was quickly followed by awe at the heroic defence of Kyiv, then delight as Ukrainians fought back, popping the tops of tanks and running circles around the Russians.
Soaring bank deposits in Russia’s poorest regions show where the Kremlin is recruiting its soldiers
Russia does not release information on the numbers of mobilised and recruited men, or casualties of war in Ukraine; however, the Bank of Finland institute for Emerging Economies has dug into public banking records to work out where soldiers are from.
World Bank says Emerging Europe needs tougher targets to reach net zero by 2060
New World Bank report charts path to net zero energy in Emerging Europe and Central Asia, but says current ambitions are too modest.
Kupiansk: Russia’s next target?
Russia seeks to exploit Ukrainian ammunition and manpower shortages, particularly in the run-up to Vladimir Putin’s ceremonial re-election in mid-March.
Fall of Avdiivka gives Russia the military initiative and Putin a political gift ahead of presidential elections
The withdrawal from Avdiivka was the correct decision to safeguard the lives of Ukrainian defenders, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
Navalny's wife Yulia prepares to step into her dead husband's shoes
In a video posted on Alexey Navalny’s YouTube channel on February 20, the Russian opposition leader’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, announced that she plans to continue his work in his absence.
Azerbaijani automotive industry motoring ahead
Russian automaker AvtoVaz is moving into Azerbaijan and in talks to set up the large-scale assembly of its famous Lada family of vehicles in the country.
Evidence mounts Navalny didn’t die from natural causes
Evidence that opposition blogger and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny didn’t die from natural causes is mounting as more information emerges from the circumstances surrounding his death on February 16.
European legal experts add to the growing debate on the legitimacy of the sanctions on Russia’s richest men
The EU General Court in Luxembourg recently dismissed the sanctions appeal of the Uzbek-born Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov's appeal against sanctions imposed on him, but legal experts polled by European Interest have criticised the ruling.