Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from November, 2014
‘TusovochkaNews’ Delivers Russian Journalists Some Badly Needed ‘Self-Irony’
“The media space in Russia has narrowed to just a couple hundred people who gossip about each other. Sometimes these people don’t get enough self-irony,” TusovochkaNews’ creator told RuNet Echo.
Ukrainian Twitter Account Chronicles Euromaidan Protests Day by Day
A new Twitter account, Maidan Day by Day, allows social media users in Ukraine and beyond to relive the history of Euromaidan protests as they happened.
Authorities Take Healthy Milk Activist to Court in Serbia
Serbian authorities have increasingly been calling online activists in for questioning. Now activist Marko Živković is being called into court for publicly complaining about milk regulations 20 months ago.
The Ferguson Protests are Actually About Russia (According to the RuNet)
The controversial grand jury decision in the Ferguson case generated much discussion on social media in the US. Turns out, the RuNet users had opinions as well.
The Silent Crackdown on Serbian Media
"Censorship is no longer a relic of the past, it's the present that we must fight against."
Internet Trolls Use ISIS to Write About Eastern Ukraine
Some believe the strange videos and images are the work of pro-Kyiv activists trying to smear Ukrainian rebels with ISIS affiliations. Or is it the other way around?
In Putin's Russia, Hell Is Other Liberals
The speed and vigor with which Russia’s intelligentsia turned on Alexey Venediktov in such a short time would be nothing short of amazing, were it anything unusual in Moscow.
Opposition Representatives Propose “Freedom from Fear” Law in Serbia
Nineteen representatives of the Serbian National Assembly filed a proposal for a new law that would guarantee Serbian citizens freedom from fear. While freedom from fear is allegedly a right...
Over 2000 Macedonian Students Celebrated International Student Day in Protest
Over 2000 students went into the streets of Macedonian capital Skopje on November 17 to march against the decision of the government to impose external testing in the country's universities.
Meet Anton Korobkov-Zemlyansky, Russia's Patriot-Provocateur
Anton Korobkov-Zemlyansky has worn many hats in the Russian news media. Russia experts in the West are inclined to dismiss him, but RuNet Echo tried to learn more.
One Year Later: Ukrainians Remember Euromaidan Online
On November 21, the official start of Euromaidan a year ago, Ukrainians flocked to social media to remember and reflect on the protests and their aftermath.
Musicians Seen As “Pro-Russian” Are Not Welcome in the UK and Latvia
When singer Valeriya arrived at the Royal Albert Hall for her concert, which she was supposed to perform with Iosef Kobzon, she was met with over one hundred anti-Putin protesters.
Fake ‘Ukrainian’ News Websites Run by Russian ‘Troll Army’ Offshoots
A new investigation of Russia's information war has revealed fake 'Ukrainian' news sites are actually hosted, operated, and staffed in Russia without any local correspondents.
Critical Independent Theater Company Faces Eviction in Moscow
"There [was] no reason [given], and it is not indicated on the termination (statement). Therefore, I conclude that it has something to do with plays."
Russian Government Sanctions LGBT Support Group for Suggesting Gay Youths Are Brave
The Russian government seems to be saying LGBT teens are a threat to each other—that they require the attention of medical professionals, who will explain that being gay precludes bravery.
Climate Change, Ebola, Ukraine: Brisbane's G20 Summit Wasn't Just About Economy
"#G20Brisbane will be remembered for Abbott's crushing failure to convince the rest of the world to ignore #climatechange"
Lugansk News Today: One Man's SEO Battle with Russia Today
Lugansk News Today has been blogging about Eastern Ukraine in English since August, to inform people about events in his hometown, and to knock RT off the Google top results.
Activists Discover Evidence of St. Petersburg's River of Poop
A group of ecologists dropped nine miniaturized, waterproofed GPS-tracking units down a toilet in a St. Petersburg suburb and mapped the devices’ signals. The results were terrifying.
What World Leaders Should Discuss at Brisbane's G20 Summit
Brisbane, Australia, hosts the 2014 G20 summit on 15-16 November. Netizens are speculating about what should be priorities on the agenda.
Kremlin Has Mastered Propaganda, But Not Photoshop: Fake MH17 Photo Lights Up RuNet
A purportedly new satellite image presenting unbeatable 'proof’ of Ukraine’s fault in the Malaysia Airlines MH17 plane crash has garnered ridicule on the RuNet.
Online Campaign to Support Russian LGBT Teens Is Charged with ‘Gay Propaganda’
It is hard to underestimate the chilling effect the crackdown on Children-404 might have. The LGBT community is one of the least respected, most maligned groups in Russian society.
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