Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from March, 2022
Tensions mount in Karabakh as parties exchange blame
The Azerbaijani army's seizure of a strategic village of Farrukh has led to accusations of a ceasefire violation leveled against Azerbaijan by both official Yerevan and Moscow.
The climate consequences for Nepal of the war in Ukraine
The Ukraine crisis is likely to sideline the climate goals of Nepal for the next few years; however, this may be an opportunity to phase out fossil fuels.
Syria's dire economy and years of fighting send young ‘mercenaries’ to fight in Ukraine
Syrian mercenaries, having fought in Libya and the Nagorno-Karabakh region, are now making their way to Ukraine, driven by extreme poverty, and political rapprochement between the two regimes.
There will be a world without Putin, but can we live in a world without Russia?
Cracking on Putin and his entourage seems the right thing to do now. But how can we keep a dialogue with his successor to avoid future wars?
What does Russia’s history of urban warfare in Aleppo and Grozny mean for Ukraine?
By weaponize refugees and using illegal munitions, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will continue to exacerbate one of the worst humanitarian crises in Europe since World War II.
Montenegrin teenagers release an antiwar song for the children of Ukraine
The song and the video clip were published by the media company Vijesti which uses them for promotion of humanitarian actions to help Ukraine.
Japan's complicated response to the invasion of Ukraine
The Russian invasion has also reinforced Japan as a country unwelcoming to refugees, and has shattered the nation's rejection of nuclear weapons.
Climate justice for women’s rights
“Women are often the first to see the negative effects of climate change because they work with the soil and are dependent on it, especially outside cities.”
Keeping fakes under control: how legislation on disinformation turns into a censorship tool
In some countries, the legislative initiatives that operate with the terms fake news and disinformation become the instruments of surveillance, the silencing of voices, and the fight against dissent.
Music in times of war: Song as a form of Ukrainian resistance
In Russia's invasion of Ukraine, culture and identity are at the center of the conflict. In this context, Ukrainian band "Okean Elzy" has stepped up to inspire the Ukrainian resistance.
Russian opposition leader Navalny calls for continued resistance after receiving 9-year sentence
On March 22, Navalny was sentenced to 9 years in a strict regime colony, where he will be kept isolated with communication with other prisoners and with the outside world.
An underground comic book displays the zeitgeist of Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia
The comic book "Streetdog and Rat" ("Džukela i Pacof" in Macedonian) was published in October 2021. The author Matej Bogdanovski has given Global Voices permission to publish a segment translated into English.
Croatian citizens and businesses express support for Ukraine in various ways
Protest participants displayed Ukrainian and Croatian flags, shouted slogans and sung Ukrainian songs. The protest also featured banners with photographs comparing Donbas with the siege and bombardment of the Croatian city of Vukovar in 1991.
The geopolitics of disinformation and cybersecurity in Europe
Political and private sector experts were warning the EU to take more precautions against the kind of Russian cyber-attacks unleashed on Ukraine, amid concern that Russia could use them in response to EU sanctions.
Macedonian court sentences ringleaders of a sexual predators’ Telegram group to four years in prison
Civic organizations expressed deep dissatisfaction with the "Public Room" court case verdict, claiming it revealed that the punitive policies for sexual violence in North Macedonia are insufficient, inappropriate and incomplete.
The country to end all countries: Russia vs. Ukraine
No sooner had the Winter Olympics closing ceremonies ended than the invasion of Ukraine began.
Bangladesh media accused of bias by Russia on Ukraine war coverage
The Russian ambassador to Bangladesh accused Bangladeshi media of taking a “biased approach” in their coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Russians against war are fleeing state crackdowns
They were concerned about their futures, closed borders, and their livelihoods, but mostly for the friends and family they left behind. The fear of persecution still looms.
Fleeing Odessa, yet planning to return: How humanitarian organizations cope with the war in Ukraine
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is expected to create Europe’s worst refugee crisis this century, many humanitarian organizations in the country are preparing plans for how to return and rebuild.
Bringing diversity to Chinese narratives on Ukraine: A Chinese blogger in Odessa
A Chinese businessman based in Odessa in Ukraine has turned into a blogger with his own anti-Russian invasion views, only to be censored and attacked on Chinese social media
Has Turkey dodged its sunflower oil crisis?
In recent months, Turkey has been rocked by a handful of crises - financial, political, environmental, diplomatic but now it is grappling with a new one - the sunflower oil shortage.
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