Eastern Europe / Features
Ukraine’s conflict enters a third phase: the drone war
In the first months of the war in Ukraine it was the highly mobile hit-and-run teams wielding the US-made shoulder-launched Javelin tank-killers that dominated the fighting.
Russian banks earn $33bn in 2023, the most profitable year on record
Russian banks ended 2023 with a record RUB3.3 trillion ($33.3bn) in profits (adjusted for dividends), up by about half from the 2021 result, the last year of normal operations, according to the Central Bank of Russia (CBR).
Orban set to compromise on EU's Ukraine financing deal
Amid both threats and signs of flexibility from the EU, the Hungarian premier is expected to drop his veto of the €50bn package.
Is this the last year of Russian gas transit via Ukraine?
Ukraine has insisted it has no intention of renewing its gas transit contract with Russia that is due to expire at the end of this year.
wiiw projects brighter 2024 for Emerging Europe
Vienna-based think-tank expects growth to get back on track this year, but warns of risks from a Trump victory in the US and escalation of fighting in Ukraine or Gaza.
US recommends Ukraine switches to more defensive strategy
Following the failure of Ukraine’s counteroffensive last summer, the Biden administration has abandoned hope of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) retaking any territory in 2024.
Russia’s oil industry is threatened by Ukrainian drones, Western sanctions
Russian oil refineries are not normally newsmakers, but they have found themselves on the front page recently as Ukraine’s new long-range drones have brought some of Russia’s oil infrastructure within striking distance.
OUTLOOK 2024 Russia
Russia’s economy defied all expectations in 2023 by not only not collapsing but by being the fastest growing country in Europe by the end of 2023.
Russian sanctions boomerang effect means a year of stagnation for Europe in 2024
The boomerang effect of the Russian sanctions on the EU member states is having a mixed impact. Germany, France and Italy are worst affected as the pain from the changes in energy and input supplies impact their economies, dragging them down.
Former Ukrainian presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych flees into exile, to challenge Zelenskiy for presidency
The split at the top of Ukrainian politics has grown wider as Oleksiy Arestovych, a former presidential advisor, fled the country and has come out in open opposition to Zelenskiy.