New Afghan Generation at War
“When we were fighting the Russians, it was to the Americans’ advantage to help us,” says Commander Masood. “But when the Soviets were destroyed, they forgot about us.”
Alan Chin
Wall of Fear
I was 17 years old when I first saw the Berlin Wall. I clambered up an observation platform in West Berlin to peer over to the Brandenburg Gate. Two summers later, I was back. Everything had changed.
Empty Towns, Destruction in Georgia Show ‘Everyone Is to Blame’
Less than an hour’s drive to the north is Tskhinvali, where fighting began after Georgian forces took the city following a night of heavy bombardment. Most houses had broken windows and were either pockmarked by bullets or gutted by shelling.
Putin’s Bag of Tricks
Kremlin politics is so opaque that it functions like a sort of personality test. Optimists glean just enough hope to justify their wishful thinking, while pessimists find hints of the most monstrous conspiracy theories.
Where Kosovo’s Ethnic Lines Are Drawn Most Starkly
During NATO airstrikes, Serbian forces raged through the city, expelling Albanians and torching their homes and shops. Today, women and children are about the only ones who dare venture into the now Serb-dominated side of the river.
About Lucian Kim
Based in Berlin and Moscow, I’ve reported from the the rubble of the Soviet empire since 1996. I’ve written for The Christian Science Monitor, The Boston Globe, The Moscow Times, Bloomberg News and nytimes.com. I’m particularly interested in developing new journalism platforms for the post-paper era.
Roadblock to Damascus
Western leaders wring their hands over the civil war in Syria, blaming Russia for their own inaction. But there never was any hope of bringing Putin on board. He will support Assad to the bitter end. Read here why that was clear more than a year ago.
Dear Ramzan Kadyrov
How do you get an interview with the warlord of Chechnya? The best bet for catching Ramzan Kadyrov is just to show up on his own turf, announce your presence and hope for the best.