Anton Shekhovtsov
@shekhovtsov.substack.com
11K followers 1K following 1.6K posts
PhD UCL SSEES, visiting professor at CEU, director of the Centre for Democratic Integrity, author of books "Russia and the Western Far Right" and "Russian Political Warfare", columnist for EUObserver @euobserver.bsky.social, outdoor research fellow
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shekhovtsov.substack.com
I’m honoured to announce the release of the volume "Russia against Ukraine: Russian Political Mythology and the War on Ukrainian Identity", a multi-author study that examines the politically driven hostility towards Ukraine deeply rooted in Russian geopolitical chauvinism: buff.ly/obr8I30
shekhovtsov.substack.com
Russia may not be the greatest military power in the world, as Putin’s aide Nikolai Patrushev fantasises, but it does not need to be one to reshape the international order to Moscow’s benefit. euobserver.com/eu-and-the-w...
shekhovtsov.substack.com
Some Russians were born and killed (in Putin’s war) all while he was in power – never knowing any other leader of Russia in their lifetime. But hell, Putin even shared 150 days of life with Stalin: their lives overlapped from 7 October 1952 to 5 March 1953.
shekhovtsov.substack.com
A Belgian security service officer has been arrested and charged with espionage, accused of spying on behalf of China. He was reportedly recruited because of his access to Brussels’ international diplomatic circles. www.politico.eu/article/belg...
Belgian security service officer indicted for spying
Indictment comes amid mounting pressure on Belgium’s security agencies.
www.politico.eu
Reposted by Anton Shekhovtsov
ralphjanik.com
"In einer Materie, die man nicht kennt, greift man die ersten Informationen auf, die einen erreichen, und hält an ihnen fest. Für viele Menschen besteht ein Mangel an Informationen. Und dann kommt Russland und sagt: Nun, die Ukraine existiert nicht."

Gutes Interview mit @shekhovtsov.substack.com
Faschismusexperte: "Die Ukraine ist aus Sicht des russischen Regimes eine Verräterin"
Der Politikwissenschafter Anton Shekhovtsov über psychologische Kriegsführung, den KGB als russisches Kontinuum und Russlands Angst vor der Ukraine
www.derstandard.at
shekhovtsov.substack.com
Faschismusexperte: "Die Ukraine ist aus Sicht des russischen Regimes eine Verräterin" www.derstandard.de/story/300000... Der Politikwissenschafter Anton Shekhovtsov über psychologische Kriegsführung, den KGB als russisches Kontinuum und Russlands Angst vor der Ukraine.
Faschismusexperte: "Die Ukraine ist aus Sicht des russischen Regimes eine Verräterin"
Der Politikwissenschafter Anton Shekhovtsov über psychologische Kriegsführung, den KGB als russisches Kontinuum und Russlands Angst vor der Ukraine
www.derstandard.de
shekhovtsov.substack.com
The U.S. will provide Ukraine with intelligence for long-range missile strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, American officials said, as the Trump administration weighs sending Kyiv powerful weapons that could put in range more targets within Russia. www.wsj.com/world/u-s-to...
www.wsj.com
shekhovtsov.substack.com
"From Valsaín to European Imperium: On the Equilibrium Between Living Traditions, Prosperity, and Power" shekhovtsov.substack.com/p/from-valsa...
shekhovtsov.substack.com
"From Valsaín to European Imperium: On the Equilibrium Between Living Traditions, Prosperity, and Power" shekhovtsov.substack.com/p/from-valsa...
shekhovtsov.substack.com
Saturdays are slow, good for reflective reading. I’ve just published "From Valsaín to European Imperium", an essay weaving travel writing, cultural reflection, and political analysis – from a Castilian hamlet to Europe’s future. buff.ly/dCxm31d
Reposted by Anton Shekhovtsov
idmvienna.bsky.social
Watch the discussion with @shekhovtsov.substack.com, Anastasiia Hatsenko, and @sschaeffer.bsky.social, moderated by @malwinatalik.bsky.social, where these pressing questions are explored.

Cooperation partners: Verkhovna Rada, Centre for Democratic Integrity

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Reposted by Anton Shekhovtsov
idmvienna.bsky.social
What role does identity politics play in Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, and how and why has it evolved over time? How susceptible have European countries been to these narratives? How can false narratives be effectively countered?

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shekhovtsov.substack.com
Oh wow. I was under the impression it must have been an incapable operator, but look how it all turned out.
shekhovtsov.substack.com
An employee of the Austrian energy giant OMV was exposed as a Russian spy. He met with a Russian diplomat tied to the FSB and held internal documents. OMV dismissed him, and Austria demanded the diplomat’s immunity be lifted. buff.ly/jLi8jfa One is down, how many more dozens to go?
Betriebsspionage: Putins Agenten in der OMV aufgeflogen
Ein langjähriger OMV-Mitarbeiter entpuppt sich als russischer Maulwurf, der das kritische Infrastrukturunternehmen mithilfe eines russischen Botschaftsmitarbeiters unterwanderte. Letzterer wird…
buff.ly
shekhovtsov.substack.com
Il semblerait qu'à un certain stade, Viktor Orbán ait décidé de ne plus jamais quitter le pouvoir buff.ly/gCodj0j Le régime Orbán est désormais confronté à un dilemme. Après quinze ans au pouvoir, rester au gouvernement n'est plus une question de choix, mais une nécessité vitale.
Il semblerait qu'à un certain stade, Viktor Orbán ait décidé de ne plus jamais quitter le pouvoir
Le régime Orbán est désormais confronté à un dilemme. Après quinze ans au pouvoir, rester au gouvernement n'est plus une question de choix, mais une nécessité vitale. Les législatives de 2026.
buff.ly
shekhovtsov.substack.com
The argument of the post is that no-one should refer to Turkey’s 2015 move as an “example” of how to deal with Russia.
shekhovtsov.substack.com
So, no, please don’t invoke Turkey’s “example” of how to deal with Russia, just don’t. 7/7
shekhovtsov.substack.com
Since then, Turkey has never been fully on board with its Western allies in NATO. It has refused to introduce Western sanctions against Russia and, together with Hungary, obstructed Sweden’s accession to NATO. 6/7
shekhovtsov.substack.com
Erdoğan’s regime even arrested the two Turkish pilots who shot down the Russian Su-24 – officially for a different reason, though few were convinced. 5/7
shekhovtsov.substack.com
Although initially defiant, Ankara eventually apologised to Moscow after months of Russian economic warfare, with NATO notably refusing to step in to support Turkey. 4/7
shekhovtsov.substack.com
The move may have seemed bold and courageous – and perhaps that is why it is being invoked today – but I’m old enough to remember well what followed. 3/7