I am a Swedish specialist on politics and security in Russia and “Eastern Europe.” I have been dealing with the region on and off since the early 1990s and been around quite a lot.
At Vilhelm Konnander's Weblog I blog about all the thoughts and reflections within my field that I need to get out of my system. No wonder, given the theme of my blog: Politics & Security in Russia, Central & Eastern Europe & Central Asia. On Twitter @vkonnander.
Latest posts by Vilhelm Konnander from March, 2009
Russia: Dealing with demographic decline
Eternal Remont reports on how Russia tries to lure back emigrants to avert the country's seemingly unavoidable demographic decline.
Czechoslovakia: Tiresome narratives of Prague '68
Dr. Sean's Diary reviews the second episode of BBC 2's series The Lost World of Communism, dealing with communist Czechoslovakia, and finds it rather basic and tiresome.
Ukraine: West turns its back on Kiev?
Kiev Ukraine News Blog re-posts a Newsweek piece, which argues that the United States and the European Union are turning their backs on Ukraine, reverting the celebratory politics of an increasingly distant Orange revolution.
Russia: Opposition waking up to realities?
The Ivanov Report departs from its principle of not commenting on Russia's democratic opposition, which he feels refuses the realities of Russian politics for futile protest. As Boris Nemtsov and other opposition leaders are now seeking public office, a change in the opposition's attitude to politics might be discerned.
Latvia: Nothing special, just crisis…
Baltic reflects on the economic crisis in Latvia, departing from the slogan “Nothing special, just crisis” – a phrase uttered by the country's former finance minister, showing what many Latvians consider an alienated political élite.
Ukraine: Political conflict turning into battle?
foreign notes turns attention to a TV-interview where a high-ranking Ukrainian security service (SBU) official threatens to use force to obtain documents pertaining to the current conflict over gas in a fight over political and economic influence.
Poland: Protests against Jewish WWII partisan movie
Polandian reports on the negative reactions in Poland to a film portraying a group of Jewish partisans during World War II.
Russia: Ukrainian singer in Eurovision song contest
Moskau Blog turns attention to [GER] the fact that Russia will be represented a singer of Ukrainian origin in this year's Eurovision song contest.
Estonia: A call for devaluation
A Fistful of Euros presents economic statistics on Estonia, all pointing in one direction – towards a devaluation of the Estonian currency, the Kroon.
Ukraine on the verge of state bankruptcy
GUS-News claims [GER] that Ukraine is on the verge of state bankruptcy and has the statistics to show why.
Russia: Kadyrov approves honour killings in Chechnya
A Step At A Time reports on a Moscow Times story that Kadyrov has approved of a number of honour killings in Chechnya.
Russia on the move against Ukraine?
Windows to Russia believes that Moscow might again be moving in on an increasingly financially default Ukraine for the country not paying its gas bills to Russian gas monopoly Gazprom.
Russia-Sweden: Wallenberg case as family tragedy
LaurenceJarvikOnline comments on a Wall Street Journal story on how the family of Swedish World War II diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, suffered from the uncertainty of his destiny in soviet captivity.
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