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Tony Wesolowsky

Tony Wesolowsky is a senior correspondent for RFE/RL in Prague, covering Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, and Central Europe, as well as energy issues. His work has also appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Christian Science Monitor, and the Bulletin Of The Atomic Scientists.

WesolowskyA@rferl.org

Also by Tony Wesolowsky

March 23, 2023
Bulgaria's Pro-Kremlin Leader Refuses To Send Soviet-Era Fighter Jets And Tanks To Ukraine

Bulgaria is refusing to dip into its stockpile of Soviet-era tanks and fighter jets to help Ukraine in its war against Russia despite an enticing offer from Washington that would allow Sofia to modernize its own military force.
March 03, 2023
Vulnerable, Volatile Moldova Could Be The Kremlin's Next Target. It Could Also Be Just Another Distraction.

From fresh anti-government protests to alleged coup plots, Moldova is on edge, as Russia wages war on its neighbor, Ukraine. The pro-Western president of Europe's poorest country, Maia Sandu, says the Kremlin is trying to destabilize the country or even planning to invade.
February 18, 2023
Will Russian And Belarusian Athletes Compete In The Paris 2024 Olympics?

With the Olympic Games in Paris less than 18 months away, calls are growing to bar Russian and Belarusian athletes for Vladimir Putin's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee is now softening its stance amid claims such a ban would be discriminatory.
January 19, 2023
Russia Gets Its Oil Into The EU Through Bulgaria. Perhaps Not For Long.

As the EU is stopping imports of Russian oil, Bulgaria continues to refine it. With growing pressure on the Russian oil giant LUKoil, that won't last forever.
December 26, 2022
A New Marshall Plan? How Ukraine Will Be Rebuilt

Eventually Ukraine must be rebuilt and that will cost billions. Depending on the outcome of the war, there are demands that Russia foot the bill. To many that might sound like a good plan, but is it practical, or even legal?
December 22, 2022
Blocking Of Key Nagorno-Karabakh Artery Triggers Fresh Tensions Between Armenia And Azerbaijan

The blocking of a key road has become the latest hot spot in the decades-long dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, sparking concerns of a humanitarian crisis and fears of renewed armed conflict.
December 18, 2022
'We Have A Common Enemy': Georgian Soldier Says Ukraine's Fight Against Russia Is His Country's, Too

Vadim Chkhetiani is recovering from a wound suffered on the battlefield in Ukraine fighting against invading Russian forces as a member of the Ukrainian armed forces. He's one of the lucky ones. Many Georgians have suffered losses recently around Bakhmut, which has been pummeled by Russian fire.
November 22, 2022
To Keep The Trauma At Bay, Ukrainian Refugee Children Are Given More Time To Play

Months after arriving in the Czech Republic after Russia's invasion of their homeland, children from Ukraine are trying to make the best of their new lives in Prague. A small recreation center in the Czech capital is helping them cope, simply by letting them play.
November 03, 2022
Ilan Shor: The Kremlin's New Man In Moldova

Ilan Shor is a shady businessman, convicted of fraud in connection with the biggest bank heist ever in Moldova. Now, Russia's Federal Security Service is allegedly bankrolling the Israeli-based oligarch to destabilize the former Soviet republic.
October 03, 2022
Interview: Do Bulgaria's Snap Elections Signal A Shift Away From The West And Toward The Kremlin?

Bulgarians went to the polls on October 2 for the fourth time in 18 months in a bid to end political instability in the Balkan nation. Dimitar Bechev, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe and lecturer at Oxford University, analyzes the results.
October 01, 2022
Revival On The Rise: Ahead Of Elections, Far-Right Party Is Tapping Into Bulgarian Public Anger

As Bulgaria finds itself mired in political instability and with the fourth parliamentary elections in two years, Bulgaria's far-right Revival party is making gains.
September 07, 2022
Wanted In Ukraine, Welcomed In Georgia? Pro-Russian Separatist Supporter Trades Crypto In Tbilisi

Daniil Deev is wanted in Ukraine for backing pro-Russian separatists but for the past month has been living in Tbilisi, apparently helping Russians trade cryptocurrency. While Georgia has looked the other way, some Kremlin critics have found the authorities to be less accommodating.
September 04, 2022
In Bulgaria, An Open Road For Putin's Favorite Biker Gang, The Night Wolves

Because of their friendly ties to the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin, the Russian bikers, the Night Wolves, face roadblocks across the EU. But in Bulgaria, a branch of the gang is cruising along, meeting and greeting Russian officials and blessed by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
September 01, 2022
Bloody Crackdowns And 'Criminal' Inaction: Mikhail Gorbachev's Darker Legacy

Accidental or not, Mikhail Gorbachev's actions led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the unshackling of its republics. But on his death, many in the region remember Gorbachev not for that independence but efforts, including crackdowns, to keep the empire intact.
August 24, 2022
As Czech Support For Refugees Wanes, Ukrainians Fleeing The War Are Facing Tougher Choices

A recent visit to the main train station in Prague suggests some Ukrainian refugees are adjusting while others are struggling, living in limbo, as the Czech Republic taps down some of its support.
August 08, 2022
Who Is Daria Aslamova, The Russian Journalist Expelled From Kosovo?

Daria Aslamova, a Russian journalist working for the pro-Kremlin Komsomolskaya Pravda, has been arrested by Kosovar authorities and accused of working for Russian intelligence. The accusations come amid tensions on the border with Serbia, including a Kosovar police unit coming under fire.
July 21, 2022
Barred In EU, Could Russia's RT Find A Home In Serbia?

Russian international broadcaster RT has been banned in the EU for perceived Kremlin propaganda. Already resistant to joining European sanctions over Russia's war on Ukraine, EU candidate Serbia could open a side door for Moscow by giving RT a license to operate there.
June 25, 2022
Risking UEFA Backlash, Red Star Belgrade To Face Zenit St. Petersburg In 'Clash Of Champions'

Shunned by most of the sporting world for its invasion of Ukraine, Russia will host a "clash of champions" when Zenit St. Petersburg plays Red Star Belgrade in July. Both soccer clubs are sponsored by Gazprom, which has large holdings in Serbia, an EU aspirant but also an ally of Russia.
June 15, 2022
The Rosatom Exemption: How Russia's State-Run Nuclear Giant Has Escaped Sanctions

The West has sanctioned Russian natural gas, oil, and coal since Vladimir Putin launched his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Not blacklisted is the Russian nuclear fuel provided by Rosatom, the Russian state-run colossus with deep global energy ties.
June 05, 2022
Can Grain Trains Save Ukrainian Farmers, And Avert A Global Food Crisis?

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Ukrainian farmers have struggled to get their crops to market due to a Russian naval blockade of the country's Black Sea ports. Now, Ukraine, its neighbors, and the EU are scrambling to find alternative routes, including rail. But is it enough?

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