Month: April 2022

Russia Vows To Intensify Attacks On Kyiv A Day After After Losing Key Warship

Russia’s Defense Ministry warned on April 15 that it will intensify attacks on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, after accusing Ukraine of targeting Russian border towns.

The statement came a day after Russia suffered a symbolic defeat with the loss of its Black Sea fleet flagship, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed his people for their resolve since Russia invaded in February and for making “the most important decision of their life — to fight.”

Democracy Digest: Aftermath of Hungary Election

Following another overwhelming victory for the ruling Fidesz party, Viktor Orban continues his ‘peacock dance’ while the joint opposition, like Saturn, starts devouring its children.

Hungary is coming to terms with the fourth consecutive landslide victory for the prime minister, Viktor Orban, and his nationalist-populist Fidesz party.

In Serbia’s Electoral Simulation, the Leader Outstrips the Party

Elections in Serbia are all about the Leader, the “boss.” The Party comes a distant second.
Basking in the glow of another election win on April 3, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told Serbs he was “the proudest man in the county.”

The reason for such pride was the 59.3 per cent he notched up in the presidential election, or roughly 800,000 more than all the other candidates combined.

Neo-Nazi who tried to launch a ‘civil race war’ by launching attacks with 600 homemade bombs and guns to ‘preserve the white population’ is hit with terror charge in Germany

Marvin E., 20, faces charges of attempting to form terrorist organisation as well as preparation of a grievous seditious attack and various weapons law violations
Marvin E., from Spangenberg, intended to launch a ‘race war’ over three years
Investigators found 600 homemade bombs at his apartment and a manifesto

240 Russian Air Strikes Target ISIS in Syrian Desert

The Russian army has expanded its military operations in the Syrian desert region since early April, following the decline of its operations in March and late February, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The Observatory indicated that the Russian fighter jets launched 240 air raids on the Syrian desert since early April.

LIVE: Moskva Cruiser Sank While Being Towed in a Storm – RDM

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the detonation of ammunition damaged its missile cruiser on board due to a fire, which led to the ship sinking in a storm.

On April 14, Russian troops continued to advance and gain control of most of Mariupol city. Negotiations to reach an immediate and permanent ceasefire are stalled. Below are the latest developments as they happen.

The Impact of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine in the Middle East and North Africa

The war in Ukraine that followed the Russian invasion is still in its early stages. While it is too soon to measure the war’s full impact on crises in the Middle East and North Africa, it is clear that the repercussions will be multidimensional. For now, its effects are limited in the military sphere, but noticeable in the political realm as conflict actors reposition themselves vis-à-vis one another and the outside world. For the region’s economies and its already strained social contracts, the consequences may be devastating.

Russia’s Tragic Failure to Reform Its Economy

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and resulting sanctions will likely devastate Russia’s economy. If the country had taken a more productive economic course over the past two decades, it might be looking toward a different future—one in which economic reforms had more tightly integrated Russia with the economically advanced countries, enhanced Russian influence and power, and built global trust. Instead, Russia has cast the West as its enemy, and its influence, power, trust, and reputation are shattered.