An epizootological inspection of the liberated territories of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions was carried out. It was established that the faunal complex of ...small mammals, hare-like and ectoparasites, as well as their number, make it possible to ensure the circulation of natural focal infections identified by the results of laboratory studies: tularemia, Crimean hemorrhagic fever (CHF), West Nile fever (WNF), ixodic tick-borne borreliosis (ITB), rickettsiosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), leptospirosis, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), Q fever, intestinal yersiniosis, Batai, Inco, Sindbis, Tyaginya fevers. For the first time, the PCR method in field material from the Zaporozhye region (Berdyansk and Melitopol regions) detected the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, on the territory of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics in the populations of small mammals (rodents and insectivores), the circulation of viruses Inco, Sindbis, Tyagin, Batai was established. In the territories of Kherson and Zaporozhye regions, the presence of combined and conjugated natural foci of ixodic tick-borne borreliosis, rickettsiosis and human granulocytic anaplasmosis is determined. According to the results of molecular genetic analysis, it was shown that the causative agents of natural focal infections (Crimean hemorrhagic fever, West Nile fever, ixodic tick-borne borreliosis, rickettsiosis) identified in 2023 are genetically close to strains circulating in the regions of the south European part of Russia.
The article focuses on the phenomenon of post-Soviet de facto borders (viz. the borders of Abkhazia, the Donetsk People's Republic, the Lugansk People's Republic, Nagorno-Karabakh, South Ossetia, and ...Transnistria) in the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The author outlines similarities and differences of these de facto borders in comparison with internationally recognized ones and compares border policies implemented by individual post-Soviet de facto states. While de facto states utilized their borders to combat the pandemic largely in the same ways as recognized states did, their pandemic border regimes were less legitimate for the international community and thus de facto states were more dependent on cross-border relations with their "patrons," having no other viable options. The author also argues that even de facto states with similar geographical and political conditions chose partially different policies for managing pandemic bordered restrictions.
The article examines different types of macropolitical identities in Ukraine and their interaction in establishing political order in the country. The authors argue that political institutional ...design was unfavourable to the Russian diaspora in eastern and southern regions. It hindered stable development of post-Soviet identity between Russians in the country. But during the Euromaidan protests, the Russians reacted to unpleasant political situation by exploring who they were and what social and political goals they had. Having been incipient for decades, the identity of the diaspora evolved in a soaring way within three or four months. The violent actions of the newly established government in Kiev radicalized the Russian diaspora. Diasporants started establishing alternative authorities in regions where government had no monopoly on the use of force. The involvement of Russia and international volunteers complexifies the situation in Donbass and the identity formation process in unrecognized republics also known as DNR and LNR.
A common theme in historical and contemporary warfare is the role of militias. Militias, both pro-government and rebel, act beyond their sponsors or else they would be understood as part of the ...armies that go to war. We think of militias as paramilitaries, approximate but not collocated with the military. Paramilitaries are ordinarily recruited and resourced differently. They are also ordinarily tactically different, playing a role in front line warfare where the intensity may be high, but where the position is fast changing or distributed in local areas. As the conflict literature will show, militias, or paramilitaries, are a common feature of any conflict and thus it is no surprise that we see their use in Ukraine. For the conflict in Ukraine, we use the term paramilitaries to indicate those forces that are fighting at the front line for both the Kyiv government and rebels in Donetsk and Luhansk, with these being considered 'pro-Russian' and even include Russian citizens. Relying on the pro-government militias literature, we show how militias on both sides play an important role in the conflict but also pose the biggest threat to a sustainable peace.
The Russian annexation of Crimea, and the subsequent war in Donbass, have led to a great deal of speculation about Russia's objectives and their implications for European security. This article ...examines Russian intentions by means of an analysis both of official rhetoric and of Russia's actions in Donbass. It concludes that far from instigating the rebellion in Donbass and using it to destabilise Ukraine, revise the international order, or seize additional territory, Moscow has largely been reacting to events and trying to gain some control of a process which was originally almost entirely outside of its control. Its primary aim has been to get the Ukrainian government to negotiate directly with the rebels, in order to produce a permanent peace settlement based upon some form of special status for Donbass within Ukraine. It has also used its influence over the rebels in order to persuade them to cooperate with the peace process set up at Minsk. Russia's objectives are very limited, and do not pose a serious threat to European security as a whole.
•Hydrogeological settings, seasonal flow and anthropogenic inputs influence nutrients dynamic.•Level of nitrate contamination in springs was higher than the limit recommended by WHO.•Nitrate fluxes ...revealed disturbance of nitrogen balance in aquatic systems by groundwaters.
Spatial and temporal variation of nitrate concentrations has been studied in 4 rivers and 21 springs of the transboundary (Russia/Ukraine) Seversky Donets watershed in eastern regions of Ukraine – Kharkiv, Donetsk and Lugansk oblasts. Samples have been taken from 13 sites on the Lopan, Udy, Oskol and Seversky Donets rivers together with springs on left and right river banks between August 2013 and May 2014 and analysed on major ions and nitrates. Water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, redox potential have been measured on site. The results showed high spatial and temporal variability of nitrate concentration in both surface and groundwater. The hydrogeological settings, seasonal trends and human impact were major factors influencing nitrates mobility and accumulation in contaminated springs, which contributed to surface water pollution. Mean nitrate concentrations were 26.7mgL−1 (C.V.=92%) in springs and 6.9mgL−1 (C.V.=114%) in rivers. The nitrate fluxes from springs to rivers were estimated at ca. 3 t km−2 annually. About 1/5 of spring water samples were characterized with higher nitrate concentrations than limits recommended by WHO and National Drinking Water Standards (Ukraine). Springs have been classified according to nitrate concentration and enrichment as high, moderate and low contaminated.
Descriptions of four xiphosuran species belonging to two genera,
Bellinurus
Pictet, 1846 and
Prestwichianella
Woodward, 1918 (currently included in
Euproops
Meek, 1867), which were described in the ...1920s from the Carboniferous of the Donets Coal Basin, are reassessed based on modern knowledge of taphonomy and xiphosuran anatomy.
Prestwichianella zalesskii
Chernyshev, 1927 is here synonymized under
Euproops danae
(Meek et Worthen, 1865). New specimens of
E. danae
and
Bellinurus
sp. from the Carboniferous of the Donets Coal Basin are considered in view of associated floral and faunal assemblages and comparisons with floras and faunas from some previously described localities containing members of these genera.
Hydrochemical investigations were carried out at 39 locations, including surface water, springs and wells from August to October 2013 to assess water quality in the transboundary Russia/Ukraine water ...basin of the Seversky Donets River (98,900 km²). The studied area comprised three large industrial regions of Northeastern Ukraine—Kharkiv, Donets and Lugansk, what plays an important socioeconomic role as a major source of industrial and drinking water supply to about 5 M inhabitants. The aim of the study was to evaluate the distribution of trace elements in the watershed and to assess water quality according to the national environmental and health limits. River water sampling was done on the Udy, Lopan, Oskol and Seversky Donets Rivers. Groundwater was sampled on left and right river banks nearby selected river sampling sites. Results showed that the interaction of water with geological formations, mainly Cretaceous carbonate rocks, loams and evaporation, was the predominant natural factor that influenced surface and groundwater chemistry. Evaporation, together with the additional anthropogenic inputs, was the reason for high mineralization of groundwater in the Kharkiv city region. Nutrient pollution (nitrates) was detected in groundwater in the territory of smaller settlements, where the population use groundwater for household needs and drinking supply. Among trace elements (Cr, As, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb), only Pb and Zn were found at over 1.2–1.5 times of drinking water limits in the Udy River in the region of Kharkiv city.
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