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 January, 2012
Estonia: The SS-Trap Revisited
Kloty of Gedanken über Estland portrays [ger] Estonia's ambivalence over its historic past, as rumours and denials recur that the government wants to declare Estonians who fought in German uniform during the Second World War freedom fighters.
Ukraine: Gas and Budget
Odessablog's Blog discusses Ukraine's new state budget and how eventually what may be afforded for the country's public sector will be decided not by state incomes but by the price of Russian gas.
Belarus: Before and After Chernobyl
English Russia posts pictures taken before and after the 1986 Chernobyl accident from a village in the nuclear contaminated part of Belarus to show how little has changed as people live on as usual despite the radiation hazard.
Russia: Yakutsk Cold Without Cure
eYakutia recounts why Yakutsk has internationally become known as the coldest city in the world, as temperatures now reach under -50 degrees Centigrade, and posts pictures from the frozen city.
Russia: Glasnost 2.0 and a White Revolution
Gordon M. Hahn of Russia: Other Points of View discusses the current thaw in Russian media, why it might result in a Glasnost 2.0, and whether this could cause a White Revolution in the country.
Moldova: New Presidential Candidate Enters the Scene
Zimbru of Morning in Moldova draws attention to the candidacy of centre-left politician Oazu Nantoi for the post of President of Moldova – a post which is indirectly elected by parliament and has proven impossible to fill since the 2010 parliamentary elections, leaving the country with merely acting presidents.
Russia: Legal Immunity for Artistic Freedom?
Vadim Nikitin of Foreign Policy Blogs posts a thought-provoking piece on Russian art group Voina, which has been found not guilty by a Russian court for setting fire on a police car on New Year's Eve, despite overwhelming evidence that this was the case, at the same time as protestors...
Russia: Return to Photoshop Politics
Catherine Fitzpatrick of Minding Russia and Bruce Chapman of Russia Blog draw attention to a “kompromat” photoshop scam directed against opposition activist Aleksei Navalny, and how this false photo now repels against its pro-Putin initiators.
Russia: Navalny Nationalism Raises Questions
Kevin Rothrock of A Good Treaty raises some serious questions about nationalistic views expressed by increasingly popular Russian opposition activist Aleksei Navalny.
Ukraine: Blaming Instead of Renegotiating
LEvko of Foreign Notes argues that Ukraine's government has conveniently chosen to pass the blame on former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko for the high gas prices the country has to pay, instead of trying to renegotiate prices with Russian gas company Gazprom, which allegedly was allowed by the gas contract...
Russia: A Liberal Use of the Western Toolbox?
Leoš Tomíček of Austere Insomniac addresses the chances of Russia's liberal opposition against the backdrop of a US diplomatic cable leaked in 2008, and ponders upon what use the liberals might have of a western toolbox in the political struggle.
Belarus: Running for Office or Not
Sergei Balykin at Belorusski Partizan discusses [ru] the pros and cons of running for public office in the authoritarian regime of Lukashenko's Belarus, based on his own campaign experience from local elections in the Minsk region.
Poland: Prosecutor Suicide Attempt
Michael Dembinski of W-wa Jeziorki tries but fails to understand a suicide attempt by a military prosecutor involved in investigations of the 2010 Smolensk aircrash killing Poland's president Lech Kaczynski, and causing a plethora of conspiracy theories.
Vilhelm Konnander's space
