Ryhor Nizhnikau | FIIA – Finnish Institute of International Affairs

Expertise

The EU’s Eastern neighbourhood, Russian policy in the post-soviet space, domestic and foreign policies of Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine

Degrees

PhD, University of Tartu, 2017

Language skills

Belarusian, Russian and English (working languages), French, Swedish and Ukrainian (receptive skills)

Select category

05 / 2022

Zelenskyy’s change of approach towards Russia: From soft touch to firm hand

EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Russia Ukraine FIIA Briefing Paper

02 / 2022

Belarus’s constitutional referendum: Lukashenko has no reason for triumph

Belarus Democracy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Russia FIIA Comment

11 / 2021

Three decades of Russian policy in the European part of the post-Soviet space: Swimming against the current

Europe Post-Soviet Space Russia FIIA Briefing Paper

08 / 2021

The Belarusian Revolution of 2020: Afterword

Belarus Democracy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood EU's external relations Russia FIIA Comment

04 / 2021

Ukraine’s half-hearted reforms: What needs to change in the West’s approach?

EU's Eastern Neighbourhood European Union Ukraine United States FIIA Briefing Paper

12 / 2020

China’s policy towards Belarus and Ukraine: A limited challenge to Sino-Russian relations

Belarus China Economic policy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood EU's external relations Post-Soviet Space Russia Ukraine FIIA Briefing Paper

08 / 2020

President Zelensky’s first year leading Ukraine: A case of déjà vu

Democracy Economic policy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Post-Soviet Space Ukraine FIIA Briefing Paper

08 / 2020

Belarus without Lukashenko: How it became a realistic scenario

Belarus Covid-19 Democracy Economic policy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Europe Post-Soviet Space Russia FIIA Comment

05 / 2020

Eurasian Union fails a critical test: Displaying irrelevance in the time of the corona crisis

Covid-19 Economic policy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Multilateralism pandemic Russia FIIA Comment

03 / 2020

Ukraine and its regions: Societal trends and policy implications

EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Post-Soviet Space Russia Ukraine FIIA Report

06 / 2019

The Belarusian paradox: A country of today versus a president of the past

Belarus EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Post-Soviet Space Russia FIIA Briefing Paper

04 / 2019

Ukraine’s stalled transformation: A concerning context for the 2019 presidential and parliamentary elections

Democracy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood EU's external relations Ukraine FIIA Briefing Paper

02 / 2019

The parliamentary election in Moldova: The end of European illusions

Democracy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood European Union Moldova FIIA Comment

10 / 2018

Communist Parties In Russia, Ukraine and Moldova: Struggling with popular demands

EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Post-Soviet Space Russia Ukraine FIIA Briefing Paper

03 / 2018

Russian-Ukrainian relations: The farewell that wasn’t

Economic policy Energy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood European Union Post-Soviet Space Russia FIIA Briefing Paper

02 / 2018

Donbas is becoming a no-man’s land: Pressures to freeze the status quo are rising

Economic policy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Post-Soviet Space Russia Security and Defence Policy FIIA Comment

06 / 2017

Belarus’s Disequilibrium: Mounting Challenges and Reluctance to Change

Belarus Democracy Economic policy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood European Union Human rights Post-Soviet Space Russia Security and Defence Policy FIIA Briefing Paper

02 / 2017

One Year after the Sanctions: Is Europe ready for the Belarus crisis?

Belarus Democracy Economic policy Energy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood European Union Post-Soviet Space Russia FIIA Comment

12 / 2016

Three Years after Euromaidan: Is Ukraine Still on the Reform Track?

Democracy Economic policy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood European Union Post-Soviet Space FIIA Briefing Paper

11 / 2016

Presidential elections in Moldova: A sad end to a once promising story

Democracy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood European Union Post-Soviet Space Russia FIIA Comment

10 / 2016

Parliamentary elections in Georgia: Stability preserved, but reforms needed

Asia Democracy Economic policy EU's Eastern Neighbourhood European Union Nato Post-Soviet Space Russia FIIA Comment

Select category

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2023). New mobility challenges in sight as Russia’s disruptive act escalates. Henley Global Mobility Report, 2023 (Q1).

Russia D Publications intended for professional communities

Moshes, Arkady & Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2023). The Belarusian revolution: Two years after the storm. Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, 30 (4).

Belarus A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2022). В ожидании раскола. Почему разошлись пути Лукашенко и белорусских элит. Carnegie Politika.

Belarus D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Hakala, Emma (2022). Valko-Venäjän unohtunut kriisi. Idäntutkimus, 29 (3):74-75.

Belarus D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2022). Catch 2022: explaining the performance of the EU policy towards Belarus. International Politics.

Belarus EU's Eastern Neighbourhood European Union A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Moshes, Arkady (2022). Russia's war and Belarus's ravaged sovereignty. PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo, 19.9.

EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Post-Soviet Space Russia D Publications intended for professional communities

Lassila, Jussi & Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2022). Casting off Soviet chains? Conditions for the ideological renewal of communist successor parties in Russia, Ukraine and Moldova since the 2010s. , Published online first.

Moldova Russia Ukraine A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Silvan, Kristiina (2022). From Demobilisation to Civic Engagement: The Post-2014 Remodelling of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union. Europe-Asia Studies (Published online).

Belarus A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2022). The Russian Invasion Upturns Lives and Order in Europe. Henley Global Mobility Report 2022 Q2.

Europe Russia Ukraine D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2022). Vaccination Woes Leave Recovery in Limbo amid Escalating Political Tension. Henley Global Mobility Report 2022.

Belarus Covid-19 Post-Soviet Space Russia Ukraine D Publications intended for professional communities

Astapova, Anastasiya ; Navumau, Vasil ; Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Polishchuk, Leonid (2022). Authoritarian Cooptation of Civil Society: The Case of Belarus. Europe-Asia Studies, 74 (1):1-30.

Belarus A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). When Goliath meets Goliath: how Russia and the EU created a vicious circle of instability in Moldova. In Andriy Tyushka, Tobias Schumacher ed(s): The European Union and Its Eastern Neighbourhood Whither ‘Eastern Partnership’? London and New York: Routledge.

European Union Moldova Russia A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). New migration risks pose a long-term threat to the region. In ed(s): Global Mobility Report 2021 Q4. London: Henley & Partners.

Covid-19 Russia United States D Publications intended for professional communities

Moshes, Arkady & Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). Forever together? Relations between Moscow and Minsk after the Belarusian revolution of 2020. PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo, 2.9.

Belarus EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Russia E Publications intended for the general public

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). Renewed geopolitical volatility hinders regional mobility. In ed(s): Global Mobility Report 2021 Q3. London: Henley & Partners.

Belarus Covid-19 European Union Post-Soviet Space Russia Ukraine United States D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). A region hard hit by exodus of migrant labor. In ed(s): Global Mobility Report 2021 Q2. London: Henley & Partners.

Covid-19 Economic policy Russia Ukraine D Publications intended for professional communities

Moshes, Arkady & Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). The Belarusian revolution: Sources, interim outcomes, and lessons to be learned. Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, 29 (2):159-182.

Belarus A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). Geopolitics, domestic upheaval, and conflict will continue to disrupt mobility. In ed(s): Global Mobility Report 2021 Q1. London: Henley & Partners.

Belarus China Covid-19 European Union Russia Ukraine D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2020). Love the tender: ProZorro and anti-corruption reforms after the Euromaidan revolution. Problems of Post-Communism (Published online).

Economic policy Ukraine A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2020). Russland gegen das Volk von Belarus – bahnt sich eine geopolitische Revolution an? Belarus-Analysen (52):19-20.

Belarus Russia D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2020). Russia vs. the people of Belarus: Towards a geopolitical revolution? Russian Analytical Digest (257):9-10.

Belarus Russia D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2020). Playing the enemies: Belarus finds itself in between EU and Russian sanctions regimes. Revista CIDOB d’Afers Internacionals (125):113-137.

European Union Russia A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Silvan, Kristiina (2020). HS Vieraskynä: EU:n on tarkistettava suhdetta Valko-Venäjään. Helsingin Sanomat, 17.7.

Belarus EU's Eastern Neighbourhood European Union E Publications intended for the general public

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Moshes, Arkady (2020). Belarus in search of a new foreign policy: Why it is so difficult. Danish Foreign Policy Review:48-72.

Belarus EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Russia A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2020). Two sticks, half a carrot: external and domestic divisions in the post-Soviet space. In Dimitry Kochenov and Justin Lindeboom ed(s): Kälin and Kochenov’s Quality of Nationality Index. Oxford: Hart Publishing.

B Non-refereed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Moshes, Arkady (2019). A mixed record: Assessing Ukraine’s domestic reforms under Volodymyr Zelenskiy. EUROPP, 12.12.

Ukraine E Publications intended for the general public

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2019). Modernisti vanha. Ulkopolitiikka, 56 (4):88.

D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2019). Moldova has a new government, but its political crisis is far from over. The Globe Post, 10.7.

Moldova Russia E Publications intended for the general public

Moshes, Arkady & Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2018). A partnership not in the making: Ukrainian-Belarusian relations after the Euromaidan. PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo. PONARS Eurasia.

Belarus EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Post-Soviet Space Russia Ukraine D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2018). EU induced institutional change in post-Soviet space: promoting reforms in Moldova and Ukraine. London and New York: Routledge.

C Scientific books (monographs)

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2018). Väkivaltahallinto venäläisittäin. Ulkopolitiikka, 55 (2):87.

Russia D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Bedford, Sofie (2017). The same but different: “Re-understanding” elections in contemporary post-Soviet space. Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, 25 (4):337-359.

Post-Soviet Space B Non-refereed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). Guiding voice to exit: Elections of sitz-chairman in Moldova, Inc.. Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, 25 (4):361-380.

Moldova A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Bedford, Sofie & Nizhnikau, Ryhor ed(s) (2017). Elections 2016: Political dynamics in post-soviet space. Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, The George Washington University.

C Scientific books (monographs)

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). Kameran takana on oligarkki. Ulkopolitiikka, 3:66-69.

D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). The Commonwealth of Independent States Region. In Kochenov, Dimitry ed(s): Quality of Nationality Index 2nd Edition. Ideos Verlag AG. 207-211.

Post-Soviet Space Russia D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). The political backlash against anticorruption reforms in Ukraine. Baltic Rim Economies Review (2):49.

D Publications intended for professional communities

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). Externally induced institutional change in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood: migration and environment reforms in Ukraine and Moldova in 2010-2015. Tarto: Tartu University Press.

EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Moldova Ukraine G Theses

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2016). Empowerment of domestic stakeholders: From outcome-oriented to process-oriented Europeanization in the ENP countries. In Sieglinde Gstöhl; Simon Schunz ed(s): Theorizing the European Neighbourhood Policy . London: Routledge.

EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Europe European Union Ukraine A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2016). The invisible battlefield in the Belarusian media space: Fighting “Russkii Mir” from within? In Mikhail Suslov; Mark Bassin ed(s): Eurasia 2.0: Russian Geopolitics in the Age of New Media. Lexington Press. 209-224.

EU's Eastern Neighbourhood A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). Promoting reforms in Moldova: EU-induced institutional change in the migration and environmental protection sectors. Problems of Post-Communism, 64 (2):106-120.

Moldova A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Alvari, Niko (2016). Ice hockey World Championship in Belarus: Political context. In Andrey Makarychev; Aleksandra Yatsyk ed(s): Mega-events in post-Soviet Eurasia: Shifting borderlines of inclusion and exclusion. New York: Palgrave McMillan. 79-97.

EU's Eastern Neighbourhood A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2016). When Goliath meets Goliath: How Russia and the EU created the vicious circle of instability in Moldova. Global Affairs, 2 (2):203-216.

EU's Eastern Neighbourhood European Union Moldova Russia A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2015). Promoting institutional change in the eastern neighbourhood: Cases of the environment protection and migration sectors in Ukraine. Journal of Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, 15 (4):495-517.

Climate governance EU's Eastern Neighbourhood Ukraine A Peer-reviewed scientific articles

Expertise

Degrees

Language skills

Projects

Latest FIIA Publications

Expertise

Degrees

Language skills

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2023). New mobility challenges in sight as Russia’s disruptive act escalates. Henley Global Mobility Report, 2023 (Q1).

Moshes, Arkady & Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2023). The Belarusian revolution: Two years after the storm. Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, 30 (4).

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2022). В ожидании раскола. Почему разошлись пути Лукашенко и белорусских элит. Carnegie Politika.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Hakala, Emma (2022). Valko-Venäjän unohtunut kriisi. Idäntutkimus, 29 (3):74-75.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2022). Catch 2022: explaining the performance of the EU policy towards Belarus. International Politics.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Moshes, Arkady (2022). Russia's war and Belarus's ravaged sovereignty. PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo, 19.9.

Lassila, Jussi & Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2022). Casting off Soviet chains? Conditions for the ideological renewal of communist successor parties in Russia, Ukraine and Moldova since the 2010s. , Published online first.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Silvan, Kristiina (2022). From Demobilisation to Civic Engagement: The Post-2014 Remodelling of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union. Europe-Asia Studies (Published online).

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2022). The Russian Invasion Upturns Lives and Order in Europe. Henley Global Mobility Report 2022 Q2.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2022). Vaccination Woes Leave Recovery in Limbo amid Escalating Political Tension. Henley Global Mobility Report 2022.

Astapova, Anastasiya ; Navumau, Vasil ; Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Polishchuk, Leonid (2022). Authoritarian Cooptation of Civil Society: The Case of Belarus. Europe-Asia Studies, 74 (1):1-30.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). When Goliath meets Goliath: how Russia and the EU created a vicious circle of instability in Moldova. In Andriy Tyushka, Tobias Schumacher ed(s): The European Union and Its Eastern Neighbourhood Whither ‘Eastern Partnership’? London and New York: Routledge.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). New migration risks pose a long-term threat to the region. In ed(s): Global Mobility Report 2021 Q4. London: Henley & Partners.

Moshes, Arkady & Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). Forever together? Relations between Moscow and Minsk after the Belarusian revolution of 2020. PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo, 2.9.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). Renewed geopolitical volatility hinders regional mobility. In ed(s): Global Mobility Report 2021 Q3. London: Henley & Partners.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). A region hard hit by exodus of migrant labor. In ed(s): Global Mobility Report 2021 Q2. London: Henley & Partners.

Moshes, Arkady & Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). The Belarusian revolution: Sources, interim outcomes, and lessons to be learned. Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, 29 (2):159-182.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2021). Geopolitics, domestic upheaval, and conflict will continue to disrupt mobility. In ed(s): Global Mobility Report 2021 Q1. London: Henley & Partners.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2020). Love the tender: ProZorro and anti-corruption reforms after the Euromaidan revolution. Problems of Post-Communism (Published online).

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2020). Russland gegen das Volk von Belarus – bahnt sich eine geopolitische Revolution an? Belarus-Analysen (52):19-20.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2020). Russia vs. the people of Belarus: Towards a geopolitical revolution? Russian Analytical Digest (257):9-10.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2020). Playing the enemies: Belarus finds itself in between EU and Russian sanctions regimes. Revista CIDOB d’Afers Internacionals (125):113-137.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Silvan, Kristiina (2020). HS Vieraskynä: EU:n on tarkistettava suhdetta Valko-Venäjään. Helsingin Sanomat, 17.7.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Moshes, Arkady (2020). Belarus in search of a new foreign policy: Why it is so difficult. Danish Foreign Policy Review:48-72.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2020). Two sticks, half a carrot: external and domestic divisions in the post-Soviet space. In Dimitry Kochenov and Justin Lindeboom ed(s): Kälin and Kochenov’s Quality of Nationality Index. Oxford: Hart Publishing.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Moshes, Arkady (2019). A mixed record: Assessing Ukraine’s domestic reforms under Volodymyr Zelenskiy. EUROPP, 12.12.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2019). Modernisti vanha. Ulkopolitiikka, 56 (4):88.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2019). Moldova has a new government, but its political crisis is far from over. The Globe Post, 10.7.

Moshes, Arkady & Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2018). A partnership not in the making: Ukrainian-Belarusian relations after the Euromaidan. PONARS Eurasia Policy Memo. PONARS Eurasia.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2018). EU induced institutional change in post-Soviet space: promoting reforms in Moldova and Ukraine. London and New York: Routledge.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2018). Väkivaltahallinto venäläisittäin. Ulkopolitiikka, 55 (2):87.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Bedford, Sofie (2017). The same but different: “Re-understanding” elections in contemporary post-Soviet space. Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, 25 (4):337-359.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). Guiding voice to exit: Elections of sitz-chairman in Moldova, Inc.. Demokratizatsiya: The Journal of Post-Soviet Democratization, 25 (4):361-380.

Bedford, Sofie & Nizhnikau, Ryhor ed(s) (2017). Elections 2016: Political dynamics in post-soviet space. Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, The George Washington University.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). Kameran takana on oligarkki. Ulkopolitiikka, 3:66-69.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). The Commonwealth of Independent States Region. In Kochenov, Dimitry ed(s): Quality of Nationality Index 2nd Edition. Ideos Verlag AG. 207-211.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). The political backlash against anticorruption reforms in Ukraine. Baltic Rim Economies Review (2):49.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). Externally induced institutional change in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood: migration and environment reforms in Ukraine and Moldova in 2010-2015. Tarto: Tartu University Press.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2016). Empowerment of domestic stakeholders: From outcome-oriented to process-oriented Europeanization in the ENP countries. In Sieglinde Gstöhl; Simon Schunz ed(s): Theorizing the European Neighbourhood Policy . London: Routledge.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2016). The invisible battlefield in the Belarusian media space: Fighting “Russkii Mir” from within? In Mikhail Suslov; Mark Bassin ed(s): Eurasia 2.0: Russian Geopolitics in the Age of New Media. Lexington Press. 209-224.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2017). Promoting reforms in Moldova: EU-induced institutional change in the migration and environmental protection sectors. Problems of Post-Communism, 64 (2):106-120.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor & Alvari, Niko (2016). Ice hockey World Championship in Belarus: Political context. In Andrey Makarychev; Aleksandra Yatsyk ed(s): Mega-events in post-Soviet Eurasia: Shifting borderlines of inclusion and exclusion. New York: Palgrave McMillan. 79-97.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2016). When Goliath meets Goliath: How Russia and the EU created the vicious circle of instability in Moldova. Global Affairs, 2 (2):203-216.

Nizhnikau, Ryhor (2015). Promoting institutional change in the eastern neighbourhood: Cases of the environment protection and migration sectors in Ukraine. Journal of Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, 15 (4):495-517.