The disappearance of the forests in the Romanian Carpathians and the failure of European environmental policy

In August 2024, a drone operated by environmental activists flew over the Ceahlău mountain range in the Romanian Carpathians. The footage revealed newly built logging roads, clear-cut slopes, and wide corridors cutting through a forest area that is officially designated as a protected Natura 2000 site on European maps. What...

Oil from seized Russian tanker to be sold to benefit Ukraine

£35m cargo of ship boarded by Royal Marines could help to fund Kyiv’s war effort. The UK government is evaluating the auction of approximately 98,000 tonnes of Russian crude oil seized from the tanker Smyrtos, with proceeds potentially directed to Ukraine or used to procure military equipment for Ukrainian forces....

Russia is using Cossack groups in Europe for espionage and hybrid influence operations

Russia is increasingly utilizing Cossack associations in Europe and beyond as instruments for espionage and the conduct of hybrid influence operations. Their primary threat lies in their capacity to operate autonomously as legalized paramilitary cells under the direction of Russian special services. These structures are capable of rapid mobilization and,...

Kremlin Plans to Weaken the Visegrad Group

Russia is developing a strategy aimed at weakening the Visegrad Group (V4) and establishing a new political format in Central Europe in which Czechia would be relegated to a secondary role. According to investigative reports, the preparation of these documents is being carried out by the “Agency for Social Engineering”...