In early 2026, one of the most high-profile scandals of recent years erupted, involving Peter Mandelson, a Labour Party legend, former minister, European Commissioner and British Ambassador to the United States. A series of documents known as the Epstein Files, published by the US Department of Justice, revealed his long-standing...
Coalition on the brink, or how a dispute over appointments split Czech politics
In late January and early February 2026, the Czech Republic experienced one of the most acute domestic political crises in recent years. The conflict between President Petr Pavel and Foreign Minister Petr Macháček, which erupted just a month after the formation of the new coalition government, quickly escalated from a...
The ‘shadow fleet’ and the European decision to close the Baltic Sea
After Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022, Europe and the G7 countries imposed extensive sanctions on the Kremlin's energy sector, including a ban on insurance, financial and service provision for Russian tankers transporting oil whose value exceeds the price cap. This restriction is intended to deprive...
Red notices: how Russia is trying to turn Interpol into a tool for political persecution
International police cooperation, carried out within the framework of Interpol, the largest international intergovernmental organisation, has fallen victim to dangerous political games. Thousands of documents obtained by the BBC and the French investigative agency Disclose from an informant within the International Criminal Police Organisation have revealed Russia's constant and systematic...
Moscow Transforms Oil Tankers into Platforms for Espionage and Infrastructure Attacks
As “Maririme News” reported, Russia’s global “shadow fleet” entered a consolidation phase last month after months of expansion. The operational fleet carrying Russian oil grew by 16 vessels in a month and moved 337 million barrels of oil and petroleum products in October, with China and India remaining key demand...
Cyprus mysteries: the death of a diplomat and the disappearance of a businessman
In early January 2026, Cyprus found itself at the centre of two high-profile incidents involving diplomacy, intelligence, business and possible political consequences for relations with Russia. On 8 January, Anton Panov (sometimes referred to as Alexei in foreign sources), an employee of the Russian diplomatic mission, was found dead in...
An island that has become a stumbling block: Greenland between the US and Europe
Greenland, which until recently was perceived as a remote Arctic territory with limited influence on world politics, has now become one of the key hubs of global geopolitical tension. The United States' heightened interest in the island has revealed not only the struggle for resources and security in the Arctic,...
The Havana Syndrome: invisible weapons and traces of the GRU
At the end of 2016, employees of the US Embassy in Havana began complaining of dizziness, nausea, headaches, and hearing problems. Some claimed that before their condition worsened, they heard piercing or low-frequency sounds, and the impact itself felt directed. Initially, these complaints were not taken seriously, but by 2017...
Political asylum within the EU: the case of Zbigniew Ziobro and the crisis of trust between Poland and Hungary
Hungary's decision to grant political asylum to former high-ranking Polish officials has become one of the most resonant episodes in relations between the two countries in recent times. We are not talking about dissidents or marginal figures, but about key representatives of the former Polish government, people who until recently...
Patrick Egan and his English-language media network: Orbán’s soft power
Patrick Egan is increasingly mentioned in analytical and expert circles as one of the most prominent and controversial figures in the English-language media space in Central and Eastern Europe. An American media strategist and graduate of the University of Oregon and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Tufts University),...