Institute of Central Europe/IES Commentaries

IES Commentaries

Eastern Team

IEŚ Commentaries 605
24 May 2022
Hanna Bazhenova - Eastern Team

The War in Ukraine: Crimes against the Environment (part 1) 

During the three months of the war, 245 eco-crimes committed by the Russian army in the territory of Ukraine, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov were documented. Rocket attacks caused large-scale fires in critical infrastructure, especially oil depots and chemical plants. This led to significant damage to ecosystems and pollutes the environment, reducing the populations of many...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 597
17 May 2022
Aleksandra Kuczyńska-Zonik - Baltic Team

May 9: The Baltic states oppose the symbols of aggression

On May 9, which is celebrated by the Russian-speaking inhabitants of the Baltic states as the day of the Soviet Army’s victory over Nazism, no serious incidents or provocations occurred. Due to the ongoing Russian military operations in Ukraine, the Baltic authorities have introduced a ban on displaying symbols of war inciting aggression and significantly limited the possibility...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 587
29 April 2022
Michał Paszkowski - Baltic Team

The Baltic States: stop Russian natural gas imports

Despite their natural gas supplies dependence, the Baltic states decided to suspend their imports from Russia. Such a decision is connected with the necessity to look for alternative supply sources and to fully use the existing infrastructure, which will also be expanded. Regional cooperation, including with Poland, will be key for Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Due to Russia’s...

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Baltic Team, Visegrad Team

IEŚ Commentaries 585
29 April 2022
Michał Paszkowski | Łukasz Lewkowicz - Baltic Team, Visegrad Team

Slovakia: natural gas supply diversification with a government misunderstanding

Slovakia has condemned unequivocally Russia’s attack on Ukraine and is now consistently in favour of introducing an embargo on the import of energy resources and oil products from Russia. The country’s high dependency on natural gas supplies necessitates the creation of a more diversified structure of imports, which, however, in current market conditions, will be a serious...

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Eastern Team

IEŚ Commentaries 595
27 April 2022
Hanna Bazhenova - Eastern Team

Protection of Ukraine’s Cultural Heritage during the War

During the two months of the war, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine documented 242 cases of war crimes committed by the Russian military against the cultural heritage of Ukraine. The purpose of the aggressor’s actions is to destroy Ukrainian memory and identity. At the same time, social groups and foreign partners take intensive measures to preserve...

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Eastern Team

IEŚ Commentaries 575
12 April 2022
Hanna Bazhenova - Eastern Team

Ukraine’s Second Front: Sowing Campaign 2022

The 2022 sowing campaign is the most difficult in the history of independent Ukraine. As a result of hostilities, farmers encounter numerous problems with logistics, fuel supply, seeds, fertilizers, plant protection products, interruptions in the availability of agricultural machinery, spare parts, equipment, significant difficulties in the export of agricultural products, a...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 565
24 March 2022
Michał Paszkowski - Baltic Team

Without consensus: Central European countries move towards oil and gas embargo of Russia

Central European countries have different approaches to the possibility of introducing sanctions against Russia, among them suspending the import of crude oil and natural gas. While all states condemned Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine and supported economic and political sanctions, there is no full agreement on sanctions relating to energy. This type of approach is due...

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Eastern Team

IEŚ Commentaries 564
23 March 2022
Jakub Olchowski - Eastern Team

Russian war crimes in Ukraine – another version of the old tactics

The Russian army is committing numerous war crimes in Ukraine, attacking civilians and destroying the country’s infrastructure. These actions are intended to suppress the will to resist of both the authorities and Ukrainian society, and at the same time they are probably also associated with the growing frustration caused by the prolonged stalemate and the lack of expected...

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Eastern Team

IEŚ Commentaries 563
23 March 2022
Andrzej Szabaciuk - Eastern Team

Patriarch Kirill’s Holy War

Russia’s all-out attack on Ukraine on 24 February this year resulted in the polarisation of attitudes of clergy in the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. Some clergymen, headed by Patriarch Kirill, supported the aggression. Others distanced themselves from Vladimir Putin’s decision and the Patriarch’s position, or even protested against the war. The...

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Baltic Team

IEŚ Commentaries 561
21 March 2022
Damian Szacawa - Baltic Team

Organizational sanctions: suspension of cooperation with Russia in the Baltic Sea Region

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine is a blatant violation of the fundamental principles of international law, which many international institutions in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) refer to. By deciding to suspend the participation of Russia and Belarus in these regional cooperation structures, the BSR states have demonstrated that they exclude cooperation with the aggressor. The...

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