Latest posts by Roman Shemakov
Opening of shipping routes from Ukraine will not abate commodity and food pressure on the Middle East and North Africa
Despite the opening up of shipping routs for grain exports from Ukraine, persistent challenges from the war will continue to exacerbate pressures on the Middle East and North Africa
War in Ukraine is fundamentally changing the relationship between the internet and geopolitics
Russia's invasion of Ukraine confirmed what internet and war scholars have long predicted: the line between civil and military reality is being erased, further fracturing the world along "sovereign internets."
The history of Turkey's unpopular hydroelectricity projects in Southeastern Anatolia
Turkey's hydrology projects along the Tigris and Euphrates have attempted to modernize Southeastern Anatolia, often at the cost of local history, tradition, or desires.
Iraq, Iran, and local residents continue to oppose Turkey's hydroelectric projects along the Tigris
The Ilisu Dam, completed in 2019, has flooded the 12,000-year-old city of Hasankeyf, destroyed farms in Iraq, and caused dust storms in Iran. Is the destruction worth the benefit?
The Republic of Buryatia: invasion of Ukraine is an extension of Russia’s domestic dominance over the country's ethnic minorities
Despite constituting a small portion of the Russian population, ethnic Buryats have become scapegoats during the war in Ukraine. Political solidarity is vital, to move past Russian historical abuses.
China's wavering position on Russia's invasion of Ukraine threatens its legacy at home and abroad
As Beijing struggles on policy in Eastern Europe, its ambiguous support of the Russian invasion is threatening peace advocates in Ukraine and China.
Ukrainian government attempts to pass necessary but unpopular labor reforms under martial law
A labor reform bill currently going through Ukraine's parliament would remove many of the protections guaranteed to workers on paper. Some say they are long needed reforms; others spot opportunism.
The Ukrainian Marshall Plan: Norman Foster, central banks, and Russian yachts
Much of Ukraine’s vital infrastructure has been destroyed, costing an estimated $500 billion. Plans from using seized Russian assets to relying on international architecture firms like Foster + Partners have been suggested.
For acclaimed journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, winning a Nobel Peace Prize offers no protection
For Filipino journalist Maria Ressa and Russian editor Dmitry Muratov, winning the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize has not provided protection from their attackers and state threats as they continue their investigations.
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.
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.
Can Ukraine's internet sustain longer-term attacks and destruction from Russia?
In Ukraine, the internet has become the major front of defense against the Russian invasion. Many experts have been asking why Russia has not tried to destroy Ukraine’s internet infrastructure?
Russia’s cyberwarfare remains limited, while Ukraine is crowdsourcing its own
Since 2008, Russia has been lauded as a cyber superpower. In the past, Russian cyber attacks have taken out electric grids, hacked elections, bankrupted corporations, and disabled military infrastructure. Nations across the world have been bracing for increased levels of cyberattacks, fearing that Russia will retaliate against sanctions by infiltrating global...
Following invasion of Ukraine, Russia declares war on its citizens
Draconian punishments and social persecution are making it increasingly more dangerous to speak out against the official government narrative.
Taiwan watches Ukraine closely wondering how the West would react in case of Chinese invasion
The island nation will need external support to retain its sovereignty against the might of the People's Republic of China