Tim Judah

I’ve just read Predrag Koraksić Corax, the most influential caricaturist in Balkans, has passed away. He was incredibly creative and brave, always putting in drawing what others didn’t dare say against those in power: from Milosevic to Vucic. Condolences to family and friends.

“No one accuses me of catastrophizing now. Not at all. It’s happening,” @ProfTimLang tells @timjudah1 on “The Weekend Intelligence” economist.com/podcasts/2026/…

After four years of reporting Ukraine I was wondering what would happen at home in the UK in terms of civil defence if war comes here.

@Liqui_Sniper @TheEconomist @LucyGoBag has the answers.

@TheEconomist @timjudah1 Love this, really practical and calm advice from Tim. Good on them for thinking ahead, it’s a nice reminder to check in on neighbours. I’m in Melbourne and have a camp stove and a few tins ready - any simple tips for quick meals that don’t need power?

“My wife and I have enough food for up to a week and just ordered 12 kilos of barbecue coal so we can keep cooking...if the power goes off.” On “The Weekend Intelligence”: lacking official advice on how to prepare for war, @timjudah1 goes his own way economist.com/podcasts/2026/…

I have been out and about at home asking what would happen in terms of civil defence if war comes. What I found was quite surprising….

Fascinating by @einotai After the Fall: Orban’s System Unravels as Fidesz Faces Existential Crisis balkaninsight.com/2026/04/30/aft…

Ratko Mladic, ‘Approaching End of Life’, Requests Release from Detention balkaninsight.com/2026/05/01/rat…

Vlad Plahotniuc is convicted. That is a big deal for Moldova. The oligarch who picked Moldova clean goes to prison economist.com/europe/2026/04…

Following parliament’s failure to elect a new president, Kosovo is heading towards snap polls in which former President Vjosa Osmani is clearly planning a role. Read more: balkaninsight.com/2026/04/29/kos…

Albin Kurti won 51% of votes on 28th of December. Inexplicably, he backstabbed President Osmani and then he fails to make a minimal compromise of cohabitation allowing a president from different party. Lo and behold, he just caused new snap elections in June. Genuinely weird. 🤷‍♂️

As Clock Ticks, Kosovo MPs Remain Deadlocked Over New President balkaninsight.com/2026/04/28/as-…

It was odd to understand why the former deputy head of Moldova’s intelligence who served Russia, Alexandru Balan, was extradited from Romania days ago. Now we learn that he & a Russian national were pardoned & exchanged for 2 Moldovan intelligence officers caught in Russia

By the end of the day we will know whether Kosovo is heading for new elections. That is the most likely scenario.

The ousting of Viktor Orbán sends shockwaves through the oxymoronic world of “illiberal democracies.” One region where the impact will be felt most strongly is the Western Balkans, where Orbán had invested substantial financial and political capital.

Great piece by Jelena Petkovic in Serbia's Radar from Ukraine. It is a huge shame that the Balkan press don't normally have money to send people abroad so that their readers and audiences would not have to rely on coverage by others. It makes a difference.

Serbian users are bombarding X with invitations to Iran to bomb American @NATO_KFOR base Bondsteel, sending precise location. It’s stupid but reflective of overwhelming sympathy in Serbia for Iran, a country that has also refused to recognize Kosovo.

“Just before the full-scale invasion started, Ukraine had 33.7 gigawatts of electrical generation capacity; in early January it had only fourteen.” —@timjudah1 go.nybooks.com/40iSy7G

Serbia’s student-led movement has been protesting against the country’s president for 15 months—and Aleksandar Vucic’s power is starting to show cracks. But is he really vulnerable? econ.st/4kZnPGm

Out and about #Serbia economist.com/video/CUAnGZSV…

Tim Judah (@timjudah1) on drone attacks, failing energy grids, and yet another long winter in Ukraine go.nybooks.com/4aTyqz5