The RUTA Association
@associationruta.bsky.social
The RUTA Association for Central, South-Eastern, and Eastern European, Baltic, Caucasus, Central and Northern Asia Studies in Global Conversation
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Today. For all who need to re-connect to an approach to life, land and sustainability that refuses to normalise genocidal and ecocidal violence: our next webinar will be a conversation on ecocultural identity, the politics of reconstruction, and artistic responsibility amid fighting for survival
Our next webinar will be a conversation among remarkable thinkers Adrian Ivakhiv, Kateryna Botanova, Kateryna Filyuk, Lesia Kulchynska, Taras Polataiko, Maria Sonevytsky, Oleksiy Vasyliuk and Olya Zikrata about reviving multispecies relations with the land
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
December 8, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Today. For all who need to re-connect to an approach to life, land and sustainability that refuses to normalise genocidal and ecocidal violence: our next webinar will be a conversation on ecocultural identity, the politics of reconstruction, and artistic responsibility amid fighting for survival
Reposted by The RUTA Association
“It’s your war. You’ve just outsourced the dying.” And fighting
"We are the only buffer between Europe's cozy 'Russia is weak' theory and reality. When it breaks, your generals will call Article 5 'a political decision.' Your soldiers will refuse to fight. It's your war too. You've just outsourced the dying." euromaidanpress.com/2025/12/05/i...
It’s your war. You’ve just outsourced the dying.
A Ukrainian's message to Europe from 400 km east of Warsaw
euromaidanpress.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:23 PM
“It’s your war. You’ve just outsourced the dying.” And fighting
Join us today at 17:00 Kyiv & Tallinn / 16:00 CET for conversations about possible futures, more-than-human worlds and the land to which Ukrainians belong. Themes will include decoloniality, ecocultural identity, the politics of reconstruction, and artistic responsibility amid fighting for survival
Our next webinar will be a conversation among remarkable thinkers Adrian Ivakhiv, Kateryna Botanova, Kateryna Filyuk, Lesia Kulchynska, Taras Polataiko, Maria Sonevytsky, Oleksiy Vasyliuk and Olya Zikrata about reviving multispecies relations with the land
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
December 8, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Join us today at 17:00 Kyiv & Tallinn / 16:00 CET for conversations about possible futures, more-than-human worlds and the land to which Ukrainians belong. Themes will include decoloniality, ecocultural identity, the politics of reconstruction, and artistic responsibility amid fighting for survival
Reposted by The RUTA Association
Very proud audience member at @dianakudaibergen.bsky.social’s @uclssees.bsky.social book launch of What Does It Mean to Be Kazakhstani? Congratulations! Great work 👏
Looking forward to having a read
Looking forward to having a read
December 7, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Very proud audience member at @dianakudaibergen.bsky.social’s @uclssees.bsky.social book launch of What Does It Mean to Be Kazakhstani? Congratulations! Great work 👏
Looking forward to having a read
Looking forward to having a read
In this episode, Kamila Smagulova draws on her historical research on the 1986 Jeltoksan uprising and the history of suppressed dissent in Qazaqstan. In a moving tribute to resistance and identity, she reflects on how the state’s refusal to fully acknowledge these events has shaped collective memory
New and a very emotional episode of YurtJurt podcast is out! Features the amazing Kamila Smagulova, one of the coolest young researchers and decolonial voices from Central Asia
December 7, 2025 at 5:34 PM
In this episode, Kamila Smagulova draws on her historical research on the 1986 Jeltoksan uprising and the history of suppressed dissent in Qazaqstan. In a moving tribute to resistance and identity, she reflects on how the state’s refusal to fully acknowledge these events has shaped collective memory
Reposted by The RUTA Association
On how the Western coercion of Ukraine into giving up nuclear weapons enabled a Russian military invasion that threatens new nuclear harms to Ukrainians and fellow societies harmed by Russian imperialism, while the IAEA remains compromised through collaboration with Russian occupying forces
🔴 A Russian drone strike has compromised Chornobyl’s protective shield.
The IAEA says the New Safe Confinement suffered damage in February that left it unable to fully perform its core safety functions.
🔗 united24media.com/latest-news/...
The IAEA says the New Safe Confinement suffered damage in February that left it unable to fully perform its core safety functions.
🔗 united24media.com/latest-news/...
December 7, 2025 at 1:47 PM
On how the Western coercion of Ukraine into giving up nuclear weapons enabled a Russian military invasion that threatens new nuclear harms to Ukrainians and fellow societies harmed by Russian imperialism, while the IAEA remains compromised through collaboration with Russian occupying forces
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Prague is asking the obvious question: Why isn't Europe using Russia's €183 billion to rebuild what Russia destroyed?
Belgium's answer: too risky. EU leaders vote Dec 18-19. euromaidanpress.com/2025/12/03/b...
📸 Photo: Tomáš Kozel
Belgium's answer: too risky. EU leaders vote Dec 18-19. euromaidanpress.com/2025/12/03/b...
📸 Photo: Tomáš Kozel
December 7, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Prague is asking the obvious question: Why isn't Europe using Russia's €183 billion to rebuild what Russia destroyed?
Belgium's answer: too risky. EU leaders vote Dec 18-19. euromaidanpress.com/2025/12/03/b...
📸 Photo: Tomáš Kozel
Belgium's answer: too risky. EU leaders vote Dec 18-19. euromaidanpress.com/2025/12/03/b...
📸 Photo: Tomáš Kozel
Reposted by The RUTA Association
Another example of a European leader failing Ukraine and Europe.
Belgium’s PM just said the quiet part out loud.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever claims that “Russia will not lose the war” and that expectations of its defeat are “a fable and a complete illusion.”
According to him, frozen Russian assets should be returned to the Kremlin after the war.👇
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever claims that “Russia will not lose the war” and that expectations of its defeat are “a fable and a complete illusion.”
According to him, frozen Russian assets should be returned to the Kremlin after the war.👇
December 4, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Another example of a European leader failing Ukraine and Europe.
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What is tragic and counter-productive is how much of the left can’t identify and oppose these far right synergies because it hasn’t been listening to knowers from Europe’s East about the patterns and harms from Russian imperialism. Western left’s failures undermine effective antifascist strategies
www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u... This horrible document outlines a betrayal of Ukraine, a "reset" with Russia (!) and the incitement of fascism to dismember the EU with thinly cloaked replacement theory rationalisation. Europe must now realise it is fighting for its life.
www.whitehouse.gov
December 6, 2025 at 12:07 AM
What is tragic and counter-productive is how much of the left can’t identify and oppose these far right synergies because it hasn’t been listening to knowers from Europe’s East about the patterns and harms from Russian imperialism. Western left’s failures undermine effective antifascist strategies
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I am not joking when I say it could have been written by Breivik. or indeed Dugin. They have a Hitlerian fetish about Europe and considerable power having hijacked the US. This is a very dangerous moment when the fantasies of white nationalism could be imposed by violence upon the world.
December 5, 2025 at 4:33 PM
I am not joking when I say it could have been written by Breivik. or indeed Dugin. They have a Hitlerian fetish about Europe and considerable power having hijacked the US. This is a very dangerous moment when the fantasies of white nationalism could be imposed by violence upon the world.
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Quite breathtaking story - military grade drones at Dublin airport which flew on the path Zelensky's plane took. The drones reached the flight path of his plane exactly the time it should have been there, but just missed it because Zelensky arrived ahead of schedule:
Four unidentified military-style drones breached no-fly zone to target Zelenskyy's arrival in Dublin
Gardaí are investigating whether the drones took off from land in Dublin or from an undetected ship.
www.thejournal.ie
December 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Quite breathtaking story - military grade drones at Dublin airport which flew on the path Zelensky's plane took. The drones reached the flight path of his plane exactly the time it should have been there, but just missed it because Zelensky arrived ahead of schedule:
Reposted by The RUTA Association
“The research documents extensive Russian influence infrastructure across Europe. Several major EU political parties received Russian energy sector financing, including Austria’s FPÖ, France’s National Rally (€9.4 million loan, 2014), and Germany’s AfD (connections promoting Russian gas dependency)”
A new Razom We Stand report reveals how European parties & #Gazprom networks are helping Russia’s fossil-fuel profits.
While Ukrainians die, the #EU stop fueling Russia’s war.
Read the report - razomwestand.com/new-research...
While Ukrainians die, the #EU stop fueling Russia’s war.
Read the report - razomwestand.com/new-research...
December 3, 2025 at 12:53 PM
“The research documents extensive Russian influence infrastructure across Europe. Several major EU political parties received Russian energy sector financing, including Austria’s FPÖ, France’s National Rally (€9.4 million loan, 2014), and Germany’s AfD (connections promoting Russian gas dependency)”
Our next webinar will be a conversation among remarkable thinkers Adrian Ivakhiv, Kateryna Botanova, Kateryna Filyuk, Lesia Kulchynska, Taras Polataiko, Maria Sonevytsky, Oleksiy Vasyliuk and Olya Zikrata about reviving multispecies relations with the land
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
December 3, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Our next webinar will be a conversation among remarkable thinkers Adrian Ivakhiv, Kateryna Botanova, Kateryna Filyuk, Lesia Kulchynska, Taras Polataiko, Maria Sonevytsky, Oleksiy Vasyliuk and Olya Zikrata about reviving multispecies relations with the land
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Register: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Reposted by The RUTA Association
I have finally gotten around to writing a new piece for my newsletter. We hear a lot about "agreements" which could be reached with Russia in the future. So I decided to look at Russia's history through this lens. Spoiler alert: Don't expect Russia to abide by agreements as long as it's an empire.
The history of Russia as a history of Perpetual Agreement-Breaking
Russia has, for most of its history, been a colonial empire and remains one to this day. As long as this is the case, don't expect Russia to stick to its own agreements. The problem is structural.
efdavies.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:25 AM
I have finally gotten around to writing a new piece for my newsletter. We hear a lot about "agreements" which could be reached with Russia in the future. So I decided to look at Russia's history through this lens. Spoiler alert: Don't expect Russia to abide by agreements as long as it's an empire.
Reposted by The RUTA Association
More than three decades after USSR’s collapse, Moscow still refuses to accept that its former colonies are now internationally recognized sovereign nations. Russia’s war against Ukraine is the horrifying embodiment of this refusal. A nightmarish attempt to turn back the time.
Ignore any Trump admin and/or Ru apologist talk about progress. Ru demands remain maximalist, outrageous, and, most importantly, disconnected from the realities of the battlefield. Only an immediate ceasefire is progress. The discussion in Moscow today was useless noise. Ru continues its aggression.
December 3, 2025 at 8:22 AM
More than three decades after USSR’s collapse, Moscow still refuses to accept that its former colonies are now internationally recognized sovereign nations. Russia’s war against Ukraine is the horrifying embodiment of this refusal. A nightmarish attempt to turn back the time.
RUTA continues to stand in solidarity with the Georgian civil resistance movement for democracy and freedom from Russian interference and occupation
🇬🇪| This week’s Georgia: Explained is out.
One year of daily protests, BBC Eye’s investigation into a banned toxic chemical used on protesters, and the arrest of Aleko Elisashvili after trying to burn the City Court chancellery: shorturl.at/ji0V5
One year of daily protests, BBC Eye’s investigation into a banned toxic chemical used on protesters, and the arrest of Aleko Elisashvili after trying to burn the City Court chancellery: shorturl.at/ji0V5
December 2, 2025 at 6:00 PM
RUTA continues to stand in solidarity with the Georgian civil resistance movement for democracy and freedom from Russian interference and occupation
Reposted by The RUTA Association
Health research as a site of resistance
Georgia’s SSS has now summoned pediatric doctor Konstantine Chakhunashvili for interrogation—one of the experts featured in the BBC’s investigation.
Konstantine co-authored a scientific study on the health impacts of the December 2024 crackdowns, which we now know involved a WW1-era chemical agent.
Konstantine co-authored a scientific study on the health impacts of the December 2024 crackdowns, which we now know involved a WW1-era chemical agent.
December 2, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Health research as a site of resistance
Concerning findings from Georgia
According to a BBC investigation, the Georgian Dream regime used a WWI-era chemical agent called “camite” during last year’s protests. This finally explains the symptoms many of us experienced both on the night of the crackdown and in the following months.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
WW1 toxic compound sprayed on Georgian protesters, BBC evidence suggests
Anti-government demonstrators are likely to have been targeted with camite, our investigation finds.
www.bbc.com
December 2, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Concerning findings from Georgia
Reposted by The RUTA Association
A crucial episode in which Botakoz Kassymbekova takes a critical look at ‘imperial innocence’ and the Soviet tale of the ‘friendship among nations’, exploring how the so-called friendship served as a colonial tool, reinforcing racial hierarchies, inequality, and systemic injustice under Soviet rule
Bombastic new episode of YurtJurt podcast!
Tune in to listen to the amazing BOTAKOZ KASSYMBEKOVA!
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
open.spotify.com/episode/1CfN...
Tune in to listen to the amazing BOTAKOZ KASSYMBEKOVA!
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
open.spotify.com/episode/1CfN...
Imperial Innocence and the Undignified Empire with Botakoz Kassymbekova
open.spotify.com
December 1, 2025 at 2:52 PM
A crucial episode in which Botakoz Kassymbekova takes a critical look at ‘imperial innocence’ and the Soviet tale of the ‘friendship among nations’, exploring how the so-called friendship served as a colonial tool, reinforcing racial hierarchies, inequality, and systemic injustice under Soviet rule
For all RUTA members and friends who might be in London this week, this book launch will be of interest!
Come to SSEES on Thursday 4 Dec for my book discussion with my editor and colleague Ben Noble!
I’m bringing Kazakhstani chocolate ;)
www.hurstpublishers.com/event/what-d...
I’m bringing Kazakhstani chocolate ;)
www.hurstpublishers.com/event/what-d...
What Does It Mean to Be Kazakhstani? w/ Diana T. Kudaibergen | HURST
Join Diana T. Kudaibergen, author of What Does It Mean to Be Kazakhstani?, for a SSEES Politics and Sociology book launch.
www.hurstpublishers.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:01 PM
For all RUTA members and friends who might be in London this week, this book launch will be of interest!
Reposted by The RUTA Association
Ukrainian writer Oksana Zabuzhko: "What makes Ukrainian culture particularly unique in gender terms?...We never burned our witches....the ancient pagan tradition of strong, wise women endured in Ukraine far longer than in most of Europe"...More importantly, Ukrainian women historically had legal […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
November 28, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Last days to send us abstracts for our next conference of the RUTA Association for Central, South-Eastern, and Eastern European, Baltic, Caucasus, Central and Northern Asian Studies in Global Conversation, exploring the role of rooted and embodied knowledges as catalysts of change: apply by Nov 30
Our 2026 RUTA conference will be exploring the role of embodied knowledges and knowledges rooted in the places we conduct research about. We will discuss how the making of knowledge, art and cultural heritage changes when it is grounded in places and communities and which possibilities this opens
November 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Last days to send us abstracts for our next conference of the RUTA Association for Central, South-Eastern, and Eastern European, Baltic, Caucasus, Central and Northern Asian Studies in Global Conversation, exploring the role of rooted and embodied knowledges as catalysts of change: apply by Nov 30
Reposted by The RUTA Association
If you missed the talk, here’s a core text exploring the USSR as a colonial project and addressing the lack of critical engagement with Soviet settler colonialism and the historical interconnections of socialism and colonialism that ought to be dealt with
www.southsouthmovement.org/dialogues/ex...
www.southsouthmovement.org/dialogues/ex...
November 27, 2025 at 6:58 PM
If you missed the talk, here’s a core text exploring the USSR as a colonial project and addressing the lack of critical engagement with Soviet settler colonialism and the historical interconnections of socialism and colonialism that ought to be dealt with
www.southsouthmovement.org/dialogues/ex...
www.southsouthmovement.org/dialogues/ex...
Reposted by The RUTA Association
The new issue of Central Asian Affairs journal is out! We have fascinating pieces on Central Asian politics and a book forum on film studies in the region.
Don’t forget to cite and share! we are also always looking for submissions from early career & regional scholars!
brill.com/downloadpdf/...
Don’t forget to cite and share! we are also always looking for submissions from early career & regional scholars!
brill.com/downloadpdf/...
brill.com
November 27, 2025 at 3:36 PM
The new issue of Central Asian Affairs journal is out! We have fascinating pieces on Central Asian politics and a book forum on film studies in the region.
Don’t forget to cite and share! we are also always looking for submissions from early career & regional scholars!
brill.com/downloadpdf/...
Don’t forget to cite and share! we are also always looking for submissions from early career & regional scholars!
brill.com/downloadpdf/...
RUTA co-founder, historian @kassymbekova.bsky.social, will be giving a talk today on Destalinization as Decolonization. Her talk will explore why acknowledging Soviet and post-Soviet colonialism is not merely a matter of historical accuracy, but a necessary step toward imagining a democratic future.
A webinar on destalinization as decolonization: what does it mean to recognise the Soviet ‘Union’ and post-Soviet Russia as a colonial project and why is it essential to confront and overcome an ongoing imperial and not only an authoritarian legacy
Registration: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
Registration: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
November 27, 2025 at 3:25 PM
RUTA co-founder, historian @kassymbekova.bsky.social, will be giving a talk today on Destalinization as Decolonization. Her talk will explore why acknowledging Soviet and post-Soviet colonialism is not merely a matter of historical accuracy, but a necessary step toward imagining a democratic future.