Latest from Will Neal
Georgia’s Orthodox Bishops Are Fueling a Resurgent Stalin-Worship on TikTok
From Stalin’s purported superpowers to the Georgian patriarch’s alleged ties to the Soviet security services, the reasons for one of the world’s oldest churches taking an interest in reinventing the image of an atheistic, authoritarian communist who massacred millions are as complex as they are bizarre.
NATO Helped Georgia Counter Russian Trolls. Then the Strategy Backfired
Drawing on insider testimony, Freedom of Information Act requests and publicly available data, New Lines has pieced together how Western partners provided support to a Georgian disinformation unit that used fake media profiles to launch Russian-style attacks against critics of the government.
A Century Ago, Georgia’s Government-in-Exile Chose a French Estate
For years to come, the estate would serve as the headquarters of Georgia’s anti-Soviet emigre community in Europe, becoming a symbol not only of many Georgians’ hopes for an independent, democratic future but also of the immense obstacles that stood in the country’s historic path and, to a certain extent, still do.
Escaping Russia for the United States, via Mexico
New Lines speaks with Michael Masri — a young man from St. Petersburg who staked everything on a dangerous crossing through the Texas desert at the height of summer last year — about his journey and fear of retribution from Vladimir Putin's regime should his U.S. asylum claim fail.
How War in Ukraine Has Shifted Fault Lines Across ‘Russia’s Backyard’
Across Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan, the war in Ukraine has pitted states against their people, stoked long-standing border tensions and thrown historic alliances into sharp relief.
How a Priest’s Accusation May Crush Georgia’s EU Dreams
Georgia’s bid to join the European Union involves a story of cloak-and-dagger intrigue that has seen one of the world’s oldest churches engulfed in accusations of political sabotage, factional backstabbing and secret sex affairs.