For the first time, a planned Gay Pride march has taken place in the very centre of Kyiv with few incidents. On a day so darkened by the massacre in Orlando, Florida, this may have seemed a small thing, but for Ukraine it was a major achievement

On June 13, a new court examination begins in the Podilsky District Court of the charges against virtuoso accordionist Ihor Zavadsky. The issue will be determined of whether he remains in custody

On June 13, a new court examination begins in the Podilsky District Court of the charges against virtuoso accordionist Ihor Zavadsky. The issue will be determined of whether he remains in custody

A Crimean court under Russian occupation has sent a chilling message to all Ukrainians in Crimea, as well as any in Russia by sentencing 22-year-old Ukrainian Andriy Kolomiyets to 10 years over an alleged offence that that almost certainly never happened, but over which no Russian court could have any jurisdiction

Upbeat noises in the pro-Kremlin media about the Kerch Strait Bridge that Russia is trying to build to Crimea without any environmental impact studies are fighting against the odds, with reports of financing problems now compounded by news of an extremely obscure ‘insurer’.

Upbeat noises in the pro-Kremlin media about the Kerch Strait Bridge that Russia is trying to build to Crimea without any environmental impact studies are fighting against the odds, with reports of financing problems now compounded by news of an extremely obscure ‘insurer’.

Russia’s contempt for the law demonstrated in the trial of Mykola Karpyuk and Stanislav Klykh who were illegally imprisoned, tortured and sentenced to over 20 years on trumped-up charges has now extended to the lawyers defending them. .

Ukrainian historian Georgiy Kasyanov is critical of the ‘decommunization laws’ signed into force a year ago. He points to the lack of public consensus and to the communist style in which an official narrative is being foisted on the public, with dissenting views literally outlawed.

A Moscow court on June 8 rather unexpectedly released Pyotr Pavlensky from custody, after finding him guilty and fining him for damaging what was referred to as a ‘site of cultural heritage’, namely a door to the FSB building on Lubyanka Square

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law widely believed to be aimed at destroying civil society altogether. Only corrupt public officials in Russia and Russian-occupied Crimea will be celebrating since the new definition of ‘political activity’ now in force makes it much harder to criticize them.

The first good news from any court since Russia invaded and annexed Crimea caught everybody unawares. On June 7, the Sudak City Court found nothing illegal about the actions of four Crimean Tatars detained on May 18 over a peaceful act of remembrance

Moscow is reaching out to EU states to undermine the bloc’s unity in hopes of encouraging them to use their power of veto to ultimately end or dilute the sanctions regime, which requires unanimous renewal every six months.

Serhiy Lytvynov, the Luhansk oblast resident abducted in Russia and tortured into confessing to war crimes that never happened, is demanding a formal apology for his unlawful prosecution. This he has the right to by law, and his lawyer Viktor Parshutkin plans to take the matter to court if Russia’s Prosecutor General fails to react.

Another ’terrorism’ trial is about to begin of a Ukrainian arrested in occupied Crimea and held in custody for over a year. Maxim Filatov, who may be as young as 21, is alleged to be a fighter from the Azov Battalion. though this appears as questionable as everything else about the case.

Transparency International Ukraine, lawyers representing the families of the Heavenly Hundred and other anti-corruption organizations point to the failure of Ukraine’s law enforcement bodies to convict even one high-ranking official of the previous regime.

Among the 50 or more Crimeans violently dispersed while trying to hold a peaceful protest on June 4 was one communist deputy who played an extremely active role in supporting Russia’s invasion and annexation of Crimea.

Russia’s trial of 4 Crimean Tatars on gravely flawed ‘terrorism’ charges began on June 1 as expected – with a flagrant but telling infringement of the men’s right to a fair trial.

Human rights activists warn that the significantly increased use of fines against peaceful protesters and the increasing use of the death penalty shows that the EU’s softening attitude to Alexander Lukashenko’s regime is misguided.

It is 10 days since Crimean Tatar activist Ervin Ibragimov was abducted from near his home in Bakhchysarai and there are very grave fears for his safety. This is not the first forced disappearance since Russia invaded and annexed Crimea. It will also not be the last while there remains so little international reaction

It is 10 days since Crimean Tatar activist Ervin Ibragimov was abducted from near his home in Bakhchysarai and there are very grave fears for his safety. This is not the first forced disappearance since Russia invaded and annexed Crimea. It will also not be the last while there remains so little international reaction