The Future of Donbas

Stanislav Aseyev is a Donetsk-born Ukrainian writer and journalist. He was based in the separatist-controlled city of Donetsk and wrote for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, as well as Ukrainian publications Dzerkalo Tyzhnya, Ukrayinskyi Tyzhden and Ukrayinska Pravda under the pen name Stanislav Vasin. In June 2017, he was captured and unlawfully imprisoned by separatist militia forces for ‘extremism’ and ‘spying’. In spite of the numerous calls to release Stanislav, he was held captive and subjected to torture for over two and a half years. He was released as part of a prisoner exchange in December 2019. In 2021, Stanislav Aseyev was awarded the Taras Shevchenko National Prize for his book ‘In Isolation’.

Natalia Mirimanova is a conflict resolution scholar-practitioner. She has over twenty five years of mediation, research, dialogue and peace process design, peacebuilding initiatives and advocacy experience in Russia, South Caucasus, Central Asia, Moldova, Ukraine, Western Balkans, Eastern Europe and Cyprus. Natalia received her Ph.D. from the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University, USA. Natalia served as a consultant for various international, national and local organizations, including UN mission in Cyprus and Tajikistan, UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), UNDP Eurasia Regional Hub, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Conflict Prevention Centre, EU, Aga Khan Foundation, SIPRI, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and others.

Kateryna Busol is a Ukrainian lawyer specialising in international human rights, humanitarian, criminal law, transitional justice and gender. Currently, she is a UN Women National Consultant on Transitional Justice and Prevention of and Response to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence. Kateryna also collaborates with the Global Survivors Fund, the initiative of the Nobel Peace Prize laureates Denis Mukwege and Nadia Murad, on a Study on the needs and opportunities for conflict-related sexual violence survivors in Ukraine. Previously, Kateryna was a fellow at Chatham House, a legal consultant at Global Rights Compliance and a Visiting Professional at the International Criminal Court. Kateryna will be speaking at the event in her private capacity.

Yuri Bender is a journalist covering private banking, asset management and capital markets. He has launched several magazines and websites at the Financial Times group. He moderates panel discussions on financial, business and cultural issues in Europe, the US, Middle East and Asia and has reported from developing economies including Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine. Yuri also writes for FTfm, the fund management section of the FT newspaper. He studied Investment Management at the London Business School and International Relations at Cambridge University, writing his Masters’ thesis on the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine.