Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked, unjustified war on Ukraine
Lane Johansen On February 24, Vladimir Putin officially declared war on Ukraine. The Russian leader, who has been the de facto head of state since January 1, 2000, has been waging a hybrid war on Ukraine for the past eight years. In March 2014, Putin illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula, and in April sent troops…
Thousands arrested in Russia protesting war in Ukraine
Nick Mosher In response to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian citizens have taken to the streets across Russia to speak out against the war. Protests can be seen in over 50 cities across Russia as protestors hold up signs and chant the same line: “Нет войне,” meaning “No to war.” Similar to past protests…
European countries receive Ukrainians fleeing their homes as Russia wages war
Jackson Sharman As the Russian invasion into Ukraine continues, thousands of Ukrainians are fleeing from their homes. European countries prepared for a repeat of what happened in 2014, when a Russian invasion of Crimea forced thousands to leave their homes. According to the United Nations, more than 350,000 Ukrainian refugees have fled the country a…
Russian dissident Alexei Navalny facing an additional 15 years in prison
Nick Mosher On February 15, Russia’s most famous dissident, Alexei Navalny, resurfaced from his jail cell in Vladimir, Russia. Navalny has been serving a three-and-a-half-year prison term since February 2021 on charges of violation of parole. This charge—widely dismissed as fabricated—came in August 2020 when he was evacuated to Germany after being poisoned by Russia’s…
Tensions Continue to Rise in Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Region
Fran McDonough Tajik authorities are cracking down on the autonomous region of Gorno-Badakhshan (GBAO) this month as fallout from the region’s widespread protests in November 2021 continues to impact the already-tumultuous regional situation. In recent weeks, a number of GBAO residents—including informal local leader Mahmadboqir Mahmadboqirov—have been arrested and charged with “inciting ethnic hatred” in…
Saakashvili announces second hunger strike
Warner Speed Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili announced on February 21 that he will begin a hunger strike for the second time since his imprisonment on October 1, 2021. Saakashvili, who had been in self-imposed exile for 8 years before returning to Georgia in October, stated that he will refuse all rations until he receives…
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