About: Soviet Union

Uzbekistan pushes back against Russian criticism over language policy

Uzbekistan on Monday (18 May) pushed back against Russian criticism of its plans to enforce the use of the Uzbek language in the civil service, in a rare rebuke of Moscow by Tashkent amid otherwise warm ties.

Strong state power – the case of Kazakhstan

From the early stage of its post-Soviet transition, Kazakhstan has consolidated strong state power to avoid chaos. Today, as the country is considered successful at home and internationally, this centralisation is being reduced and tribute is being paid to the one person who steered the country during the last 30 years.

US to help secure Baltic energy grid against cyber-attacks

The United States and Baltic states on Sunday (6 October) agreed to beef up cooperation to protect the Baltic energy grid from cyber-attacks as they disconnect from the Russian electricity grid.

EU Commissioner likens new UK PM Johnson to Boris Yeltsin

The UK's new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, shares "a way of doing politics" with the former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, including offering "many unrealistic promises, ignoring economic rationales and rational decisions," European commissioner for health Vytenis Andriukaitis has said.  

World leaders gather in south England to remember D-Day

World leaders gather on the coast of southern England on Wednesday (5 June) to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the largest seaborne invasion in history and a feat that helped bring World War Two to an end.

Georgia remembers its 9 April

On 9 April 1989, Soviet tanks rolled into Tbilisi, and Georgians realised Gorbachev’s regime was just as steeped in blood as that of his predecessors. Thirty years on, Georgia remembers its heroes, writes Natalie Sabanadze.

Estonians pay homage to victims of Soviet deportations

Thousands of Estonians lit candles across the Baltic state on Monday (25 March) in memory of the victims of Soviet mass deportations launched 70 years ago that saw tens of thousands sent to labour camps in Siberia, where many of them died.

Pope pays tribute to victims of Nazis, Soviets in Lithuania

Pope Francis paid tribute on Sunday to Jews killed by the Nazis and victims of murder and deportation by the Soviet KGB, in twin visits to memorials marking the darkest periods of Lithuania's history.

Baltic ministers prepare US summit for ‘sending message to Putin’

Foreign ministers from the Baltic states, three exposed allies on NATO's eastern flank, visited Washington on Monday (5 March) to urge Western leaders not to respond naively to Russian threats.

Kazakhstan, a fledgling democracy bent on ‘stability’

The ruling elite in Astana acknowledges that continuous efforts are needed to tackle corruption – recognised as “systemic” – and bolster press freedom in Kazakhstan. "But it’s a very subtle balance between democracy and stability”, local politicians argue.

Lenin: Father of the Bolshevik Revolution

This year is the centenary of the Bolshevik Revolution. The man who orchestrated it died 93 years ago, on 21 January 1924. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin ushered into the world one of the most brutal dictatorship it has ever seen in the Soviet Union, writes Joachim Starbatty.

Afghan refugees return to uncertain future in alien homeland

Mohammad Anwar arrived in Pakistan as a child more than 35 years ago but is leaving as a father, his family among the thousands of uprooted Afghan refugees "returning" to a war-torn homeland many of them have never seen.

WWII: A new ‘religion’ for Russia

Each year, Russia’s WWII victory celebrations become more grandiose and spectacular. In recent years, the cult of the Great Victory has become a quasi-religion and the main basis which unites the Russian society, writes Oleksii Polegkyi.

Kazakhstan: Disarmament is key

Recent terror attacks should renew international leaders' determination to defeat extremist groups and the ideology that propels them, writes Erlan Idrissov.

Alcohol, tobacco and obesity undermine the progress of European health policies

A report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revealed that Europe is still the world leader in alcohol and tobacco consumption. For the first time, the life expectancy of the current generation could be shorter than their parents. EURACTIV France reports. 

Ukraine’s road to reform

The EU must support Ukraine’s efforts at political and economic reform and help the country on its way to prosperity, argue David Lidington and Konrad Pawlik. 

War and poverty bring doubt to heartland of Ukraine’s pro-Europe revolt

When Ukrainians toppled a pro-Russian president last year, nowhere was the euphoria greater than in Lviv, a short drive from the EU border, where people have dreamt for generations of escaping Moscow's orbit.

Rolf Nikel: Reconciliation between Germany and Poland has been achieved

The revolutions in Eastern Europe paved the way for the collapse of communism in East Germany, otherwise known as the DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Republik), in 1990. One of the most important government officials in West Germany at the time was Rolf Nikel. Today, he serves as unified Germany's Ambassador to Poland. EURACTIV Poland reports.