Russia has spent four years denying responsibility for the tanks and huge arsenal of weapons provided to Kremlin-controlled militants in Donbas, and using OSCE observers to purportedly back this denial.  While this is not the observers’ fault, the vast expanse of border area physically beyond their scope, as well as the clamps placed on what they are mandated to observe, must surely place the sense of their mission in question. 

Russia has spent four years denying responsibility for the tanks and huge arsenal of weapons provided to Kremlin-controlled militants in Donbas, and using OSCE observers to purportedly back this denial.  While this is not the observers’ fault, the vast expanse of border area physically beyond their scope, as well as the clamps placed on what they are mandated to observe, must surely place the sense of their mission in question. 

An important European Court of Human Rights ruling has prompted Ukrainian human rights groups to demand a Constitutional Court review of the current lack of real mechanisms for releasing people sentenced to life imprisonment. The move is particularly important given strong grounds in very many cases for believing that life prisoners are either innocent or did not deserve the severe sentence imposed. . 

A French court has upheld a ruling that found Ukrainian journalist Anna Chesanovska guilty of defaming Paul Moreira in comments about his highly controversial film on Ukraine ‘Masks of the Revolution. As well as a prohibitive fine, the journalist has been ordered, in effect, to retract the truth about a film which is grossly manipulative and misleading

A French court has upheld a ruling that found Ukrainian journalist Anna Chesanovska guilty of defaming Paul Moreira in comments about his highly controversial film on Ukraine ‘Masks of the Revolution. As well as a prohibitive fine, the journalist has been ordered, in effect, to retract the truth about a film which is grossly manipulative and misleading

The identity remains unclear of a 24-year-old Crimean arrested on 20 March for alleged involvement in non-existent military action by a Crimean Tatar volunteer battalion. It seems likely, however, that there will be more such arrests, with Russia openly targeting Crimeans involved in defending Ukraine in Donbas, and mentioning other charges earlier used in propaganda against exiled Crimean Tatar leaders and Crimean Muslims. 

The identity remains unclear of a 24-year-old Crimean arrested on 20 March for alleged involvement in non-existent military action by a Crimean Tatar volunteer battalion. It seems likely, however, that there will be more such arrests, with Russia openly targeting Crimeans involved in defending Ukraine in Donbas, and mentioning other charges earlier used in propaganda against exiled Crimean Tatar leaders and Crimean Muslims. 

It is seven months since Russia’s FSB abducted Ukrainian student Pavlo Hryb from Belarus and since the 19-year-old, who has an extremely serious medical condition, saw the Ukrainian specialists treating him.  Russia has refused to allow Ukrainian doctors to examine him and is producing suspiciously ‘healthy’ test results to try to justify their refusal to provide him with proper medical care.

A UNESCO decision which could send a monitoring mission to Russian-occupied Crimea is belated and piecemeal given the scale of Russia’s destruction of the Khan’s Palace, or Hansaray, in Bakhchysarai, a site of huge Crimean Tatar historical and cultural heritage. News of the UNESCO decision coincides with the latest shocking images from Crimea where a construction firm with no experience in restoration work has been let loose on a complex dating back to the 16th century.

While it is Crimean Muslims who are in ever-increasing numbers facing imprisonment for their faith in Russian-occupied Crimea, it was the Orthodox Church under the Kyiv Patriarchate that first came under fire following annexation, and that remains under relentless pressure.

While it is Crimean Muslims who are in ever-increasing numbers facing imprisonment for their faith in Russian-occupied Crimea, it was the Orthodox Church under the Kyiv Patriarchate that first came under fire following annexation, and that remains under relentless pressure.

Legislation naming Russia as aggressor and stipulating its full liability for the death and suffering inflicted on Donbas may seem an important affirmation of truth amid all the lies and propaganda.  It will not help the thousands of Ukrainians whose lives have been devastated and who need assistance now. 

A year after Russia outlawed the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a first believer is on trial, facing a ten-year prison sentence and repressive measures are gaining pace.  These include armed searches and arrests, as well as the state theft of Jehovah’s Witness land and property.  It seems only a matter of time before Jehovah’s Witnesses join the ever-rising number of Ukrainians illegally imprisoned in occupied Crimea.

A year after Russia outlawed the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a first believer is on trial, facing a ten-year prison sentence and repressive measures are gaining pace.  These include armed searches and arrests, as well as the state theft of Jehovah’s Witness land and property.  It seems only a matter of time before Jehovah’s Witnesses join the ever-rising number of Ukrainians illegally imprisoned in occupied Crimea.

After concocting a ‘trial’ on truly surreal ‘spying’ charges to imprison Ukrainian Viktor Shur, Russia has since deployed any means to prevent him having contact with the Ukrainian consul and lawyers

Alexander Byvshev has been convicted of ‘incitement to enmity’ and sentenced to 330 hours community service for a poem entitled ‘On Ukraine’s Independence’.  

Crimean youth are to be enlisted for filling the Internet with ‘correct information’ about life in Russian-occupied Crimea, with the occupiers determining just what content is ‘correct’, and what is to be dubbed ‘fake’

Crimean youth are to be enlisted for filling the Internet with ‘correct information’ about life in Russian-occupied Crimea, with the occupiers determining just what content is ‘correct’, and what is to be dubbed ‘fake’

In a step back from the brink, a court in Russia has acquitted renowned historian Yuri Dmitriev of manifestly absurd charges for which the prosecutor had demanded a nine-year maximum security prison sentence. 

Yuri Soloshenko, Ukrainian pensioner and one of the first hostages of Russia’s undeclared war against Ukraine, has died less than two years after his release from Russian captivity .