On September 14, Russia held its regional elections. Following an extremely low turnout, and the manipulation and removal of opposition candidates, representatives of the ruling party won in all regions. Kommersant correspondent Maria Karnaukh summarizes the voting results.
On September 12, the United States and European Union imposed expanded economic sanctions on Russia, targeting its largest bank, Sberbank, and Rostec, a major defense conglomerate. Paris-based journalist Elena Servettaz discusses the possibility of EU’s toughening stance on the matter.
Despite a plethora of irrefutable evidence, Russian president Vladimir Putin continues his steadfast denial of Russia’s military presence in Ukraine. According to writer Alexander Podrabinek, only those interested in propaganda and not facts are capable of disregarding such a cynical lie.
On September 12, the U.S. and the EU expanded their sanctions against Russia following the escalation of the Ukraine crisis; however, as Donald N. Jensen, resident fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations, points out, NATO members have been holding back in their aid to Ukraine.
On September 5, 2014, a ceasefire between the Ukrainian government and separatist groups in eastern Ukraine was signed in Minsk, Belarus. According to political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya, the Minsk agreement is impossible to implement and will ultimately fail on all fronts.
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