Russia

RECONSTRUCTION: What are the prerequisites for rebuilding better in a way that strengthens Ukraine's ownership of its own development? Is democracy both the means and the end? What can the international community contribute? We have asked six players.

UKRAINE: Reconstruction costs for Ukraine are estimated by the World Bank at 411 billion dollars. Discussions about the design and reconstruction of Ukrainian cities after the war are in full swing. There are now five pilot projects for Kharkiv: on rivers, industry, cultural heritage, industrial buildings and a science park.

FUTURE: Are we moving towards an international society that takes care of those who fall outside the established working life – and wisely converts today's military industry towards civilian tasks? It is possible that the new BRICS may point the way away from current Western ideology.

NUCLEAR WEAPONS: The experts say the danger of nuclear war has never been greater than right now. The danger of accidents, nuclear weapons going astray, cyber infiltration and misunderstandings has increased. Here comes a deep dialogue with the nuclear weapons philosophy, where intellectuals have tried to get a grip on the incomprehensible: the threat of the annihilation of the world. And what does Sergej A. Karaganov, foreign policy and military strategic adviser to Putin's government, say? Is the only thing we can do is to postpone the apocalypse, to avert it again and again?

UKRAINE: Monuments and streets in honor of Nazi collaborators and neo-fascists in Ukraine with money from the US and the EU? For example, in cities all over Ukraine, many monuments have now been erected to Bandera – a Ukrainian Nazi collaborator. Or how about the 'Street of Heroes of the Azov Battalion' – a neo-fascist paramilitary formation? Socialist and communist symbols – from the red flag to the performance of the "Internationale" – are prohibited. So are all left-wing parties.

ENERGY: When it comes to the energy shortage we are facing, could a possible answer be to let the state rule with a harder hand? And as for the war, are sanctions even an effective weapon? Federico Rampini's answer is no.

We reported Jens Stoltenberg and the most senior officials in the government for war crimes and complicity in crimes against humanity.

RAPE: Russian soldiers today systematically use sexualized violence. And these abuses are not just due to 'bad discipline' or abuse of power. Commanders can also use sexualized violence as a kind of reward for their soldiers. Internationally, Russian officials categorically deny that soldiers have committed sexual crimes

EQUIPMENT: That the rest of the world, apart from the West, does not stand on the side of Norway, the USA and NATO when it comes to Ukraine today, is not surprising when we know the centuries of looting and colonial times, followed by imperialist wars and Western-backed coups. It is still "war and weapons that create peace" that is the narrative. Stop the race to a possible world war!

PROPAGANDA: Leaked classified intelligence documents from the White House revealed in April that Ukraine was soon facing a dramatic defeat – quite different from the propaganda we had all long heard. In this essay, our regular writer, John Y. Jones, looks at the many sides of propaganda – as we are today increasingly surrounded by fake news, unsubstantiated claims and politically biased information.

PROPAGANDA:Learning the art of "lying masterfully" is important for all propagandists

AFRICA: Russia has been very keen on the principle of non-interference and has allowed authoritarian regimes to pursue their own policies without making any political demands for their trade or aid. But they gave debt relief to a number of African countries at the same time as signing several military-technical agreements.

UKRAINE/RUSSIA: The authors of this book believe that the European countries should loosen their ties with the United States in order to achieve constructive results in what can be considered a European security problem. Two parties can only achieve security together with the other party – not at the expense of it.

VISUALLY: Graphic satire has become a weapon. The first 'caricature war' arose between Protestants and Catholics. Caricature is about – also in Ukraine and Russia – increasing morale in one's own ranks by ridiculing the enemy with all possible means and stereotypes – and praising one's own side.

COMPETITION: The weapons are sanctions, subsidies, dumping, hostile takeovers and theft of industrial secrets. The goal is simple: to weaken a country's economy so that it cannot offer political, economic or military resistance.

RUSSIA: Mary Elise Sarotte demonstrates thorough knowledge of the Cold War – and today's horrific continuation of it.