Alternative for Germany (AfD) positions itself as a political force that opposes the current political establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany, state bureaucracy, and allegedly excessive control by intelligence services. It also promises to fundamentally change both the domestic and foreign policy agenda if it comes to power. The...
The 21st sanctions package left Russian fish untouched
In July 2026, after weeks of debate and difficult negotiations, the Council of the European Union approved the 21st package of sanctions. Yet contrary to the loud political statements that preceded it, one of the most discussed sectors of the economy vanished entirely from the final document: fisheries. As early...
The Russian Orthodox Church in Europe as an instrument of the Kremlin’s hybrid warfare
The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) outside Russia performs functions that go far beyond ordinary religious ministry through its involvement in spreading propaganda, justifying aggression, and assisting the espionage activities of Russian special services. Its European network comprises more than 600 centres and includes churches, communities, and monasteries that may have...
How Greece saved Russian LNG from the sanctions
In July 2026, one of the most acute diplomatic crises since the start of the sanctions confrontation with Moscow erupted at the European Union headquarters in Brussels. The adoption of the EU’s 21st sanctions package — designed as a final blow to the Kremlin’s financial and energy revenues — was...
Italy’s military secrets in the hands of Moscow: arrests, diplomatic expulsions, and lessons for NATO
The spy scandal that erupted in Italy in June–July 2026 confirmed that Russian military intelligence has not ceased its active operations in the country, focusing on its military secrets, defense-industrial complex, and military supplies to Ukraine. On 7 July 2026, carabinieri in Rome arrested two former employees of the Italian...
Science under sanctions: how Russian researchers circumvent EU restrictions
On 30 November 2024, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) officially terminated its agreements with residents of the Russian Federation in the field of fundamental scientific cooperation. Approximately 500 Russian specialists were denied access to the infrastructure of the Large Hadron Collider and leading European laboratories. This decision became...
What challenges will Andy Burnham face as Prime Minister
Andy Burnham assumed the role of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 20 July 2026, three days after being elected leader of the ruling Labour Party. In previous Labour governments, he served as Secretary of State for Health and Culture and as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. In opposition,...
How sanctions forced the Kremlin to nationalize its shadow fleet
Restrictions against Russia’s “shadow” fleet have proven quite effective. Frequent detentions of vessels and the risk of secondary sanctions against countries that provided their registration played a key role. This forced these jurisdictions to begin revoking the registration of tankers involved in the transportation of sanctioned Russian oil. As a...
Inside FSB Center 16: The secret cyber army waging war on Europe
On July 13, 2026, the European Union and the United Kingdom took an unprecedented step by announcing a coordinated package of severe sanctions. The measures targeted 9 individuals and 4 organizations directly involved in conducting destructive operations in cyberspace. Official Brussels and London openly identified the main organizer of this...
The Ukrainian card in the internal fight for the future of Poland’s conservatives
After losing power in the October 2023 parliamentary elections and suffering further drops in approval ratings, Poland’s conservative party Law and Justice (PiS) entered a deep internal crisis that, by the summer of 2026, erupted into an open confrontation between its rival influence groups and took on the characteristics of...