Across Europe, concern is mounting over persistent foreign interference in domestic politics — a trend that becomes particularly visible ahead of key events such as elections. One of the most frequently used channels for such meddling, according to investigative reports, is the cultivation of radical or far-right political forces whose...
EU defense budgets: procurement under the cover of war — a golden hour for middlemen
Nothing galvanizes the military sector—from soldier training to weapons manufacturing and procurement—like the looming specter of war. This assertion is no longer theoretical; it’s been vividly illustrated by the events unfolding on Europe’s eastern frontier. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, European states and Kyiv’s...
EU Enlargement: investment engine or corruption accelerator?
Despite internal turmoil and external threats, the European Union is moving swiftly to bring Moldova, the Western Balkans, and Ukraine closer to its doorstep — a step Brussels frames as a strategic choice aimed at bolstering democracy and economic stability in the region. Yet behind the lofty declarations of a...
The “White Ingredient” for grey gunpowder: how uzbek cotton cellulose fuels russian ammunition production
After 24 February 2022, Russia sharply increased the production of artillery ammunition. A critical link in this chain is cotton cellulose — the raw material for nitrocellulose, which is used to produce smokeless powders. The lion’s share of this raw material is supplied by Uzbekistan, and its deliveries have only...
Behind the Scenes: Kremlin’s Seniors Officials and the Shadow Fleet
Due to the effectiveness of the sanctions regime imposed by Western countries on the Russian Federation for its aggressive and destructive foreign policy, the Russian economy loses billions of dollars in revenue every month. Despite this, Russia continues to receive tens of billions of dollars in profits every month from...
Chinese Investments in EU Infrastructure: Boon or a New Form of Systemic Corruption?
One of the most striking economic trends in Europe over the past decade has been China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). For countries with limited resources or underdeveloped infrastructure, it has opened doors long shut — bringing long-awaited funds for roads, ports, railways, and energy projects that had languished for...
The Route of Russian Money in the EU: The Kremlin Sponsors Political Loyalty
Under conditions of international isolation — intensified after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine — Russia has been actively seeking alternative ways to influence European politics in order to promote its interests. Having failed in its attempts to “befriend” the EU at the official level, Moscow has increasingly...
The Information Front of Russia in Europe
In the common perception, war means weapons, soldiers, and the struggle for territories, resources, and dominance. But there is another kind of war — one without explosions or gunfire — the information war. It is invisible, and its weapon targets not the body but the human mind. In the 21st...
The Baltic: Putin’s battlefield for influence
The Baltic Sea. The Baltics. Despite its relatively modest size, the region has long been a battleground of empires. Throughout history, it has seen the rule of Teutonic knights, Polish-Lithuanian nobles, Swedish kings, the Russian Empire, and later the Soviet Union.For Russia, the region has always held strategic significance —...
Orban vs the West: Hungary’s Road to Moscow
With each passing year of Viktor Orbán’s premiership, Hungary is drifting further from the core values of the European Union and edging closer to a role no longer of partnership, but of internal opposition. What was once a cooperative EU member state is now a self-declared dissident, cloaking its actions...










