The Union of Donetsk and the Kremlin

Donetsk-born MP Yegor Firsov on his home region: In contrast to most regular citizens, who saw the riots from outside, I knew the process from inside. From the very first days, I clearly understood that there was a guided, controlled rebellion, in which everyone skilfully played the roles designated to them

Diversification Pains

External factors are pushing Ukrainian economy to overcome its extreme dependence on specific export goods and unreliable export markets

Who is Waging the War in the Luhansk People’s Republic

Widely perceived as the economic and political tandem of the Donbas, Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts have actually never been equal partners

The Unfree Peninsula

The Kremlin will try to secure Crimea for itself, so in 2015, it will continue to intensify the militarisation of this Ukrainian region.

Andriy Levus: “A successful post-revolutionary Ukraine would be the collapse of the Russian project”

The Ukrainian Week spoke to the former deputy chief of the Security Service of Ukraine and current MP about Ukrainian partisans in the Donbas, sabotage in Russia, reforms in the SBU and who it worked for prior to the Maidan.

Is Donbas Really so Hopeless?

Even progressive and pro-Ukrainian people from this region are often pessimistic about the Donbas and its population, saying that most locals are completely hopeless, it’s impossible to get through to their brains or souls, and it’s unrealistic to change the socio-political landscape of their territory; it’s like a black hole on the map of Ukraine, a kind of huge demographic and psychological well, the bottom of a mine, from which it is impossible to claw a way out to the surface.

Poroshenko’s Blunders

The President’s bloc is painfully reminiscent of Viktor Yushchenko’s Our Ukraine party mixed with elements of Viktor Yanukovych’s Party of Regions

Rapid Response Elections

The impressive victory of pro-European forces in the party lists must be put to work toward rapid and irreversible reforms, otherwise it will quickly turn into an equally impressive defeat

Starting a New Life, Voting as Before

The election in Donbas followed the traditional scenario for this region. Unfortunately, its residents learned nothing from the bloody lessons of 2014

Geoffrey Pyatt: “There will be no Cold War 2.0”

“How much everything has changed since January,” is the first thing Geoffrey Pyatt, the US Ambassador to Ukraine, says when we meet to speak to him again. Back then, we discussed sanctions against the “political regime” that was still in place, and the EuroMaidan as a chance which the West and Ukraine cannot afford to waste. Almost ten months later, The Ukrainian Week speaks to Mr. Ambassador about the war with Russia, the US assistance to Ukraine, and the vital priorities for the new Ukrainian government.

Back to Black?

The parliamentary election may bring only few “new faces” to parliament

The Communist Party May Be on Its Last Legs, But Social Populism is Still Alive

The electoral fiasco of the Communist Party in Ukraine does not mean less demand for social populism. It only brings to the political arena new players that are better fits for the new structure of Ukrainian society

The Freebooters in the Seas of Gold

Discussions about effectiveness of sanctions made fruitful grounds for speculations by those inclined to fish in troubled waters. Some representatives of French business openly ignore the EU restrictions declaring readiness to invest in Crimea and other partnerships with Russia

A New World Order

Nearly everything was predictable at the latest PACE session. Everything except confusion. It was felt not only in the speeches of adequate participants in the debates on Ukraine but virtually in everything. Strasbourg’s usual calm betrayed anxiety and unmistakable perplexity over what to do next – with the war, with Ukraine and Russia and with the entire world

The Ex-President’s Baggage

A slew of hindrances prevent the money stolen by Viktor Yanukovych and his regime from returning to Ukraine. These must be removed as soon as possible

Have No Illusions

With the old election law in place, the parliamentary campaign cannot radically upgrade the Verkhovna Rada now. Still, it will make it more adequate to the challenges faced by the state

What is Behind Special Status for Donbas

The “special status” of the Donbas within Ukraine can turn it into an impoverished criminal reservation. This will help Moscow conceal its occupation of part of the neighbour’s territory and legitimize its presence in the region

Inevitable Rehabilitation

Sovietism is deeply rooted in the Donetsk prairies. Unless it is liquidated, the region will see no progress or solution to the current situation

In-Depth Defence

The advance of Russians in the Donbas has halted the movement of the Ukrainian army eastward and intensified the panic in our rear. However, the shock will soon pass, and society may have no option but to prepare for a cold winter and a lengthy military confrontation

Lustration Over the Ocean

Ukrainian activists are pursuing the lustration of state organs of professional frauds. Yet another place where lustration of corrupt individuals has to occur is among the Diaspora of the United States

Mission Possible: Survival Without Russian Gas

Ukraine is able to stand its ground in a gas war, even if it continues for years. The biggest threat, though, is to get hooked on Russian gas once again in exchange for a discount from Gazprom

Between Munich-2 and the Truman Doctrine

Russian aggression against Ukraine has forced the world to choose between two ways of handling the aggressor. Each was tested in the 20th century

Yehor Sobolev: “Lustration has been blocked”

Chairman of the Lustration Committee speaks about the government’s tricks, the Kremlin’s agents and the need to rebuild government agencies from scratch

tReasonable Doubts

The Parliament inherited from Yanukovych holds an imminent threat to Ukraine, yet the breakup of pro-European coalition is potentially as dangerous

Fixing the Donbas

If the “Donbas pacification plan” announced by Petro Poroshenko is to be implemented effectively, the region’s administrative map could be redrawn more sensibly

In the Army Now: Answering Many Why’s

The Ukrainian Army after 23 years of “ingenious” military reforms and three months of warfare in Eastern Ukraine