Zadarnicele învățăminte ale istoriei/ Sfârșitul iluziei

Author(s): Mădălin Bunoiu,Marius Lăzurcă / Language(s): Romanian Issue: 3/2022

Amir Alexander, Infinitezimal, Editura Humanitas, 2017; Sfârșitul iluziei, Marius Lazurca,. Mă număr printre aceia pe care războiul din Ucraina nu i-a surprins. Nu fac din asta un titlu de glorie, inclusiv pentru că, în circumstanțele actuale, ar fi probabil inde- cent. Nu sunt un specialist al temei, nici nu am acces la informații rezervate asupra dosarului. Sunt mai curând un observator atent, obligat să dea importanță acestei teme de chiar gravitatea ei intrinsecă și, în egală măsură, de mizele ei pentru România. Un război în imediata noastră vecină- tate ne afectează nemijlocit, dar și în feluri pe care azi, în focul evenimentelor, nu le putem desluși cu claritate.

Virtual Warfare: Masculinity, Sexuality, and Propaganda in the Russo-Ukrainian War

Author(s): Maryna Romanets / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2017

This paper explores the intersection of sexual and political discourses as a particular aspect of the body politics that Russia has employed, among other strategies, in its massive propaganda offensive during the hybrid warfare against Ukraine. While recognizing sexuality as one of the mainstream concepts in political analysis, the paper draws on sexually explicit imagery and idiom used in Russian social media, and public discursive space in general, as propaganda techniques, and maps their “genealogy” within wider sociocultural and political contexts. Being conceptualized in terms of Russian hegemonic masculinity in relation to subordinated femininity and non-hegemonic masculinities of its adversarial others, these setups reveal how sexuality constitutes uneven and contradictory nexuses of power once being co-opted by Putin’s propaganda machine. It is noteworthy that Russia’s neo-imperial discursive tactics of homologizing sexual and political dominance—when supplemented with the official rhetoric of restituting Russia as a great power, Orthodox Christian fundamentalism as an integral part of Russian unique “state-civilization,” state-sanctioned homophobia, and traditional macho gender ideology—contribute quite effectively to sustaining public support in Russia for aggression against Ukraine in the process of Russian reimperialization of the former Soviet space.

SERBIA: THE WAR IN UKRAINE AND ITS EUROPEAN PATH

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English Issue: 162/2022

The EU is in the process of adjusting its enlargement policy to the new geopolitical environ¬ment and is developing a new accession process. There are two approaches, French and Ger¬man. President Macron suggests the creation of a “geopolitical community” that will join the EU, while Germany’s priority is the European Union’s enlargement policy and work on the strengthening of cooperation among the Western Balkan countries. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has put the security issue in the foreground and made the EU’s approach to security in its eastern neighbourhood, which is characterized by restraint and strategic ambiguity, unsustainable in the new circumstances. Serbia still hopes to gain dominance in the region as part of the Open Balkan project, which is also increasingly less certain due to opposition from Bosnia, Montenegro and Kosovo, which prefer the revival of the Berlin process under Chancellor Scholz’s supervision. In addition, the neighbours still do not trust Serbia’s intentions, which is intensively arming itself. Accession to the European Union is the geopolitical inevitability of the whole Western Balkans given Russia’s constant attempts to destabilize it. That is why all doubts about the policy of en-largement to the Western Balkans indicate that, despite all promises, the Balkans is still on ice.

Gi Metan, Rusija – Zapad, hiljadu godina rata, rusofobija od Karla Velikog do ukrajinske krize, Novi Sad – Beograd, Akademska knjiga – Informatika, 2017. (529-531)

Author(s): Bojan B. Dimitrijević / Language(s): Serbian Issue: 2/2022

"Look Out the Window": The View of Kyiv

Author(s): Vasyl Zaplatynskyi / Language(s): English Issue: 41/2022

"Look Out the Window": The View of Kyiv" is a feuilleton presenting the reflection of an author experienced during the current Russian-Ukrainian war.

ROSYJSKO-UKRAIŃSKA WOJNA – PRZYCZYNY, PERSPEKTYWY I LEKCJE

Author(s): Vasyl Zaplatynskyi / Language(s): Polish Issue: 41/2022

The article is devoted to the Russian-Ukrainian war. The article gives several reasons for this war. The main reasons are imperial ambitions, boasting, and the desire to show the world that Russia can do anything with impunity. After the wars in Chechnya, Georgia and Syria, Russia decided to start a full-scale war in Ukraine. Russia has formed a special kind of fascism, called Russizm.The consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war are not clear. Differ- ent scenarios are possible from the pessimistic ones, which envisage the use of nuclear weapons and the escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian war into the Third World War. There are moderate scenarios and there are optimistic ones. For example, the option of an internal coup in Russia and the disintegration of Russia into separate states.The war shows us that the reality that surrounds us will not be the same, that we will not return to the state it was before February 24, 2022. We are united and our main task is to create a world without war.

From utopia to dystopia

Author(s): Justyna Olędzka / Language(s): English Issue: 06 (54)/2022

In August 2020 the whole worldlearned that there are two “Belaruses”. One isthe utopian imaginary of “Lukashism” headed bya soft dictator, and the other is a dystopian, oppressive state in which the greatest enemy of power is a society fighting for their rights. From the term “the dictatorship of prosperity”, only “dictatorship” remained and “prosperity” was enjoyed only by members of the power elitewho show absolute loyalty to the leader.

The re-Sovietisation of Belarus

Author(s): Aliaksandr Papko,Kacper Wańczyk / Language(s): English Issue: 06 (54)/2022

The nature of the crisis in Belarus is the same as in other countries of the region, with the collapse of old Soviet structures in the economy, society, politics and ideology. Alyaksandr Lukashenka does not understand the urbanised modern society he is trying to rule. In order to re-establish control, his regime is trying to move the society backwards. Repressions will be extremely costly for Belarusian society, but Lukashenka’s goal is unlikely to be achieved.

Belarusian language and culture - Is the patient more alive than dead?

Author(s): KATARZYNA BIELIAKOWA / Language(s): English Issue: 06 (54)/2022

One of the ways to save the Belarusian languageis to maintain courage in preserving and displaying the Belarusian identity. This includes pride in Belarusian history and language, which should be used especially in everyday life. Since it is nearly impossible todo this inside the country, perhaps the best place to start is within the Belarusian diaspora.

Renewing the promise of European solidarity

Author(s): Basil Kerski / Language(s): English Issue: 01+02 (55)/2023

The war in Ukraine reminds us that the peaceful civic revolutions of 1989–91 have not yet been completed. Today Vladimir Putin is once again trying to stop Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity and reverse its dynamics. He is also the co-creator of a new nationalistic populism in Europe and the United States. The main goal of this movement is to destroy civic culture and solidarity among people.

Tackling the climate crisis in a time of war

Author(s): ISABELLE DE POMMEREAU / Language(s): English Issue: 01+02 (55)/2023

The Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Work Groupcame together in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.The group brings together experts and journalists from aroundthe world focused on the situation in the region. Their goalsare to raise awareness about the war’s environmental damage,lay the groundwork for a sustainable reconstruction ofwar-torn Ukraine, and prevent the war from being usedas an excuse to put climate issues on the back-burner.

A nuclear crisis or nuclear discourse?

Author(s): Kinga Anna Gajda / Language(s): English Issue: 01+02 (55)/2023

A nuclear threat which induces the fear of even a possible attack can serve as the perfect bogeyman. Vladimir Putin knows this all too well. Thus, he uses it to generate hysteria among western societies. As of now, he is at least partially successful.

Puzzles of an extremely difficult level - The post-war recovery of Ukraine

Author(s): Maciej Makulski / Language(s): English Issue: 01+02 (55)/2023

Soon after it became clear that Russia’s brutal aggression on Ukraine was nowhere near the rapid military campaign it had hoped to be, the international debate on the reconstruction of Ukraine started. Backtracking through the focal points of this debate gives us a clue as to where the primary financial and non-financial obstacles lie.

A Marshall Plan for Ukraine should prioritise harm done to humans, not buildings

Author(s): MAKSYM POPOVYCH / Language(s): English Issue: 01+02 (55)/2023

The human cost of an armed conflict producesthe most damaging and long-lasting societal consequences. Unlike residential buildings or infrastructure, which can be rebuilt through various forms of financial aid, human suffering cannot be remedied by financial assistance alone. Any discussion of a Marshall Plan for Ukraine needs to have a strong element of reparations forall those victims harmed during this past year.

The ongoing process of de-Sovietisation in Eastern Europe

Author(s): Nino Chanadiri / Language(s): English Issue: 01+02 (55)/2023

The war in Ukraine strengthened the de-Sovietisation process already taking place in Eastern Europe. It has pushed states to further remove the remnants of the Soviet past, including monuments, which are believed to have ideological symbolism and play a significant role in shaping collective identity.

The outcome of the war is crucial not only for the future of Ukraine

Author(s): . Miscellaneous / Language(s): English Issue: 01+02 (55)/2023

Interview with Arkady Rzegocki, Head of the foreign service of the Polish ministry of foreign affairs. Interviewer: New Eastern Europe

An independent Georgia or a Tiflis governorate?

Author(s): Wojciech Wojtasiewicz / Language(s): English Issue: 01+02 (55)/2023

Today’s Georgia is a country of contradictions. While most of the population has come out in support of Ukraine, the country has experienced a great amount of migration from Russia since the war. This, combined with a government uncertain of its foreign policy, has made Georgia’s future all the more unclear.

Back home to the warzone

Author(s): Olena Yermakova / Language(s): English Issue: 01+02 (55)/2023

One third of the Ukrainian population isdisplaced – over eight million abroad and at least fiveand a half million internally, constituting the biggestforced displacement in Europe since the Second WorldWar. Curiously, around one third of those who had fledafter February 24th 2022 have already returned, with theInternational Organisation for Migration putting the numberas high as six million. Yet, they returned, against all odds.

This play is a political and social reflection

Author(s): Łukasz Dąbrowiecki / Language(s): English Issue: 01+02 (55)/2023

An interview with Ishbel Szatrawska, a Polish writerand playwright. Interviewer: Łukasz Dąbrowiecki

Integrating Earth observation IMINT with OSINT data to create added-value multisource intelligence information: A case study of the Ukraine–Russia war

Author(s): Ioannis Kotaridis,Georgios Benekos / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2023

The Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 heralded a new “social media war” era. This “hybrid warfare” extends beyond the military landscape and includes attacks in cyberspace and fake news with the aim of destabilising governments. The goal of this paper is to present a high-level of architecture based on imagery intelligence (IMINT) and geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) using geographic datasets and state-of-the-art methods. Integration with intelligence information (like Open-Source Intelligence [OSINT]) produces multiintelligent knowledge for security and defence decision-making end users. The results depict a harmonious and creative collaboration between IMINT, OSINT, and GEOINT. OSINT data helps to identify and describe the meteorological conditions that are present, contributing to the procedure’s responsiveness. Weather and dense cloud cover above Ukraine poses a challenge for optical imaging satellites, but synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor satellites can operate at night and overcome the problem. We carried out OSINT and IMINT analysis, monitoring the situation shortly after the invasion. OSINT data helped in the choice of an appropriate area of interest. Using the right Earth observation satellite system and artificial intelligence/machine learning algorithms is the best way to keep an eye on many different sites over long periods, send out alerts about unusual activity, and find new places where incoherent changes might be happening.