"Eurasian Home" - analytical and information resource

The Kharkiv Agreements between Russia and Ukraine

Irina Kobrinskaya, Leonid Vardomsky, Dmytro Boyarchuk — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:59:00 +0400

"The main question for the next few years is whether the Kharkiv agreements will become a tool of stabilization, development and rapprochement of Ukraine and Russia", Irina Kobrinskaya.

The Exchange

Ivan Gayvanovych — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:13:00 +0400

Geopolitical influence is an expensive thing. The Soviet Union realized that well supporting the Communist regimes and movements all over the world including Cuba and North Korea. The current Russian authorities also understood that when they agreed that Ukraine would not pay Russia $40 billion for the gas in return for extension of the lease allowing Russia's Black Sea Fleet to be stationed in the Crimea.

Islom Karimov paid a visit to Moscow. What next?

Rafik Saifulin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:12:00 +0400

Tashkent said again that Uzbekistan-Russia relations are strategic, and that Russia plays a key role in ensuring global and especially regional security and stability in Central Asia.

Kyrgyz Syndrome

Aleh Novikau — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:26:00 +0400

The case of Kurmanbek Bakiyev is consistent with the logic of the Belarusian authorities’ actions towards the plane crash near Smolensk. The decisions not to demonstrate the “Katyn” film and not to announce the mourning were made emotionally, to spite Moscow and Warsaw, without thinking about their consequences and about reaction of the society and the neighbouring countries.

Explosions in Russia

Akram Murtazaev — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:49:00 +0400

Explosions take place in Russia again. The last week of March started with terrorist acts at the Moscow metro stations which were followed by blasts in the Dagestani city of Kizlar. The horror spread from the metro to the whole city.

Developing Professional Non-Commissioned Officers: the Final “Kontraktniki” Experiment?

Roger N Mcdermott — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:13:00 +0400

Recent statements by Russian Defense Minister, Anatoliy Serdyukov, indicate that the experiment with contract personnel in the armed forces has finally failed. Serdyukov outlined some of the reasons for these failings, ranging from low pay to how they were recruited and noted the problem of retention.

“The revolution in Kyrgyzstan was both unexpected and predictable”

Peter Rutland — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 16:31:00 +0400

The bloody and chaotic overthrow of the Bakiev regime is not good news for anybody. For Western liberals, it merely highlights the sorry conditions in Kyrgyzstan, the one country in Central Asia that had tried to follow Western advice about the benefits of democratization, market reform and free trade.

Another Tulip revolution in Kyrgyzstan?

Alisher Khamidov — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:54:00 +0400

The developments in Kyrgyzstan are claiming much of our attention. We're still receiving controversial reports and updates from Kyrgyzstan. Many of us are grappling with similar questions: What's happening in Kyrgyzstan? Are we talking about another Tulip revolution? How are the current protests similar or different from the Tulip revolution? So what are broader patterns here?

Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s anti-Russia defense

Svyatoslav Polkhov — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 13:36:00 +0400

The meeting of Belarus-Russia Union Counsel of Ministers, which was held in the Belarusian city of Brest on March 16, surprised nobody and was a routine event. Belarusian President Aliaksandr Lukashenka was absent, so at the press-conference after the meeting it was Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin who looked like the host, while his Belarusian counterpart Siarhiej Sidorski resembled a guest.

Addressing some views about Bandera, Ukraine and Russia

Michael Averko — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:59:00 +0400

What follows is a long and updated version of a submitted letter, which was edited and run by The Moscow Times (TMT) on March 18. This is stated with the realization of how news organizations are known for shortening letters for space consideration. With this understanding, I have no objection to how TMT edited my letter. At the same time, there is more to be substantively said about the involved topics.

The World Bank Report on the Central Asia energy sector, and China’s reaction

Evgeni Savkovich — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:47:00 +0400

The Chinese energy companies gained a foothold in the world market. They have interests even in such poor and remote countries, as Sudan. While in 1990-2000s China National Petroleum Corporation was China’s “flagship”, in the late 2000s the situation changed slightly.

Poor relations – the Ukrainian government goes to Moscow

John Marone — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 14:38:00 +0400

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych symbolically selected Brussels as his first foreign visit upon taking the oath of office in what can only be seen as an exercise in public relations. The new government of Prime Minister Mykola Azarov headed straight for Moscow shortly thereafter with the sole intention of cutting a deal.

The Wrath Day like a Groundhog Day

Boris Kagarlitsky — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 17:21:00 +0400

The protest actions, which the Russian extraparliamentary opposition had scheduled for March 20, were held as planned, they surprised or frightened nobody. Just as it had been expected, the activists of many organizations supporting the Wrath Day took to the streets… but saw there only the policemen, journalists and each other.

What can be expected from Kazakhstan’s new regional policy after the economic crisis?

Azamat Mukhamedzhanov — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:48:00 +0400

Recovering from the financial and economic crisis, the Kazakh authorities are going to develop the country’s regions. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan, spoke about that in his Annual Address to the Kazakh people in 2010.

Russia’s failure in the Olympic Games

Boris Kagarlitsky — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:28:00 +0400

The failure of the Russian team in the Vancouver Olympic Games would not have become a serious problem, if the Russian authorities had not spoken about the sports in its propaganda for many years. The successes of the Russian football and hockey players were presented as a proof that Russia reacquires the great power status in sports, if not in world politics and economy.