The VoxUkraine Reading List – Best of 2015

Ukraine continued to draw international headlines in 2015. Like at the end of 2014, to help those looking for quality information on Ukraine, we have created a reading list of what we consider some of the best articles on the Ukrainian economy written this year.

Our reading list is ordered by topics. We start with the most important topics of this year: the conflict in the East of Ukraine, corruption, reforms and the discussion on Ukraine defaulting on its debt. Then follow some miscellaneous topics

The military conflict

• how economics affects the conflict https://voxukraine.org//2015/11/10/the-economics-of-rebellion-in-eastern-ukraine/
• and how the conflict affects the Ukrainian economy in general http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:HA7kZfBzFI0J:www.ft.com/cms/s/0/32413666-05db-11e5-868c-00144feabdc0.html+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ua#axzz3ug4V5lPk
• a specific company http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/26/world/europe/a-ukraine-factory-that-cant-close-and-workers-who-wont-quit.html?_r=0
• non government controlled areas http://newirin.irinnews.org/extras/2015/5/19/aid-eastern-ukraine-longread
• http://www.wsj.com/articles/cut-off-from-ukraine-business-in-rebel-held-east-turns-toward-russia-1438126161
• some scenarios for the future http://eurasiangeopolitics.com/2015/04/22/six-possibilities-for-the-donbas-by-years-end/

Finally, some interesting reads not focused on economics

• http://www.theguardian.com/news/2015/apr/09/kremlin-hall-of-mirrors-military-information-psychology
• http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/magazine/a-russian-soldier-vanishes-in-ukraine.html

Corruption

• Ukraine as ‘the most corrupt nation in Europe’
  • http://www.theguardian.com/news/2015/feb/04/welcome-to-the-most-corrupt-nation-in-europe-ukraine
  • http://www.rferl.org/content/ukraine-judges-declare-windfalls-gifts-prizes/27073624.html
• with corrupt top level officials  
  • http://ukraine.usembassy.gov/statements/ambpyatt-odesa-finforum-09242015.html
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/05/15/john-herbst-top-level-corruption-in-ukraine/

• but there is progress
  • http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/prozorro-e-procurement-improves-transparency-reduces-corruption-and-saves-taxpayers-14-million-so-far-399816.html
• and solutions are available
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/03/17/a-simple-recipe-for-tackling-corruption-in-ukraine/
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/03/10/dual-track-for-ukraine-how-to-fight-corruption/

Reforms

• Reforms are being implemented slowly
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/12/11/index-for-reform-monitoring-%D1%96more-release-24-en/

• but some progress is visible
  • http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/09/08/cops-that-would-save-a-country-ukraine-patrol-police-maidan/
  • http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/ukraine-two-years-after-euromaidan-what-has-been-accomplished

• Ps : if you have no time to read, VoxUkraine has summarized a lot in this 6 minute video
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/09/14/all-you-need-to-know-about-ukrainian-reforms-in-6-minute-explainer-video/

Default and debt restructuring

• Whether or not Ukraine would or should default was a hotly debated issue this year. Some were in favor
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/01/15/ukraine-should-consider-default/
• Other’s against·        
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/01/20/3-reasons-to-avoid-default-in-ukraine/
• A short overview of the academic literature on this issue can be found here
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/01/16/whats-wrong-with-defaulting/

On Inflation

• Some (wrongly) saw hyperinflation
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/03/03/what-is-the-inflation-rate-in-ukraine/
• but at VoxUkraine, we looked back
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/03/30/inflation-in-ukraine-past-present-and-future/
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/06/11/inflation-in-ukraine-past-present-and-future-part-ii/
• and forward
  • https://voxukraine.org//2015/12/28/what-will-inflation-be-in-10-years-theory-and-forecast-en/

On Ukraine’s future

• https://voxukraine.org//2015/06/12/ukraine-eight-required-steps-from-the-balkans-to-poland/

• https://voxukraine.org//2015/04/28/a-must-read-john-herbst-speech-at-jce-conference-its-not-russia-against-the-west-its-reaction-against-the-future/

Finally: Some Forecasts about what was expected to happen in Ukraine in 2015

• http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/ukraine-s-crisis-in-2015-what-to-expect
• http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/alexander-j-motyl/what-expect-russia-ukraine-2015
• http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregsatell/2014/12/13/a-look-back-at-how-the-ukraine-crisis-erupted-and-what-to-expect-in-2015/