Stories about Eastern & Central Europe from October, 2015
Want to Research the Russian Internet But Don't Speak Russian? We Can Help.
Conducting open-source research is especially challenging when you don't speak the language of your research topic. Thanks to the Internet, however, even these obstacles don't make it impossible.
Ukrainian Official Dismissed for Using Russian Email Service for Official Correspondence
Ukrainian authorities believe that using Russian email services could potentially "jeopardize the country's information security" in view of the ongoing information war between Ukraine and Russia.
‘Tajikistan's Aylan': A Migrant Child Dies in the Arms of the Russian Authorities
"Umar! Your death is the symbol of feebleness and dishonesty, Be my nation's pure herald before God."
Russian Lawmakers Reportedly Consider Adding ISIS to List of ‘Undesirable’ NGOs
Senators are reportedly preparing new additions to their NGO “stop-list,” seeking a ban on several new groups, including the already-outlawed extremist group ISIS.
Ukraine Goes to the Polls In Local Elections, But Not Everyone Gets a Vote
The local elections are largely seen as a test of transparency and fairness for the post-Euromaidan Ukrainian political environment, but many Ukrainians aren't getting a chance to vote at all.
Did a Russian Journalist Just Out Vladimir Putin's Secret Daughter By Accident?
Today, following Interfax’s interview with Tikhonova, there seemed to be additional confirmation that she is the President’s child, when Yuri Pogorely, Interfax’s online projects director, intimated her ties to Putin.
Ukraine's New Banned Websites Registry: Security Measure or Censorship Tool?
Ukraine's new cyberpolice say they want to protect Ukrainians online, but a banned websites registry is causing Internet users to worry about adverse effects on free expression.
What You Need to Know About Russian Social Networks to Conduct Open-Source Research
Outside of the familiar English-language social networks of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and others, there is a handful of social media platforms used either exclusively or primarily in the post-Soviet world.
Ladies, You Can Wear Men's Briefs as Shirts to Save Money. Just Ask This Russian TV Show.
Oil is cheap, the West has levied sanctions, Moscow’s military interventions in Ukraine and Syria are costing who-knows-how-much money, and women are being encouraged to wear men’s underwear as shirts.
So You Want to Conduct Open-Source Research
These general instructions address specific ways to assess the reliability of photographs, videos, and human sources, with a special focus on the Russian Internet.
Watch Out, Internet! Ukraine Is Getting Its Own Cyberpolice
The new Ukrainian cyberpolice force is tasked with protecting the country and its citizens from malicious Internet activity, and is expected to do it better than its predecessors.
Orthodox Serbian Village ‘Threatens’ to Convert to Islam in Bid to Restore Local Church
Residents of Šopić, a village just outside of Belgrade, threatened to "collectively convert to Islam" if their damaged Orthodox church wasn't reconstructed by the parish in October 2015.
The Murky Ethics of Publishing Data on Russian Servicemen ‘Bombing Syria’
Ukrainian "civic investigation" project Mirotvorets, previously preoccupied with exposing the Russian military presence in eastern Ukraine, has published personal data of Russian servicemen allegedly engaged in airstrikes in Syria.
Say Goodbye to the Biodiversity at Europe's Oldest Lake?
New construction plans in Macedonia's Galichica National Park threaten the existence of more than a hundred rare and endemic species, jeopardizing the ecosystem of Europe's oldest lake.
A Man Who Travels the World Not to See Things, But Hear Them
Sound artist Jacob Kirkegaard used to be a musician. But he discovered he'd rather find sounds than make them. Now he records what other people barely notice.
Belarus Catches Up to Russia With Its Own Pro-government ‘Troll Factory’
Leaked emails published on ElectBy suggest pro-government Belarusian Republican Youth Union directs its local chapters to leave negative comments on articles about recent opposition rallies.
Belarusian Author and Journalist Svetlana Alexievich Wins 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature
Alexievich is the 14th woman to win a Nobel Prize in Literature, and the first Russian-language author to be granted the honor since 1987, when Joseph Brodsky received the prize.
One of the Russian Internet's Founding Fathers Wants to ‘Erase Syria From the Map,’ and Here's Why the US Is Being Blamed
Moscow’s intervention in Syria is having some funny consequences back home in Russia. One of the strangest episodes in this story is Anton Nossik’s fervent support for the new airstrikes.
Belarusians Protest Against Russian Military Bases Inside Their Borders
With a 500-strong rally in the capital Minsk and more action on social media, Belarusians spoke out against the planned Russian military aviation base on Belarusian soil.
A Letter to the Rulers of Russia, From Oleg Kashin
On October 3, Oleg Kashin published an open letter addressed to Putin and Medvedev, where he discusses his case and the significance its abandonment has for Russia as a nation.
The Return of the Russian Government's Wikipedia Meddling
A week ahead of what would be the start of Russian airstrikes against targets inside Syria, @RuGovEdits again started tracking regular activity on Wikipedia by people using Russian government IPs.
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