Russia’s Secret Corners
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Russia’s Secret Corners
Passions are running high in Ukraine and the breakaway states of the Caucasus. Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine took the West by surprise. But John thinks in some ways it followed a pattern that goes back to the time of Catherine the Great. Since the Soviet Union’s break-up, Transnistria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia have become Russia’s ‘forgotten’ satellite states – unrecognised and unheard of by most outsiders. Now Donetsk and Luhansk have joined the list, and Russia has full control of Crimea.
Between May and October 2015 John met people on both sides of these disputed borders, and promises some surprising insights.
“The way you combined some serious geopolitics with cultural commentary was wonderful.”
(Royal Geographical Society, with the Institute of British Geographers)
Follow John’s journey as it happened through his monthly updates:
31st May 2015 – 25th June 2015 – 22nd July 2015 – 20th August 2015 – 14th September 2015 – 8th October 2015
First update – Last update
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