Russia has reportedly withdrawn most of its Black Sea Fleet from occupied Crimea in recent weeks following a series of successful Ukrainian attacks. The retreat of the Russian fleet is a serious setback for Vladimir Putin’s ongoing invasion and the latest indication that Ukraine is winning the Battle of the Black Sea. Satellite footage from
More than three months since the start of Ukraine’s much-hyped counteroffensive, Ukrainian forces have only managed to liberate a tiny portion of the territory currently under Russian occupation. However, the success or failure of the campaign cannot be measured in square kilometers alone. Beyond the front lines, the Ukrainian military is steadily reducing Russia’s ability
Vladimir Putin’s attempts to blame the invasion of Ukraine on NATO are dishonest, according to Norway’s army chief, who argues that the Russian dictator’s own actions prove he does not view the alliance as a genuine security threat. Speaking after a September 16 meeting of NATO commanders in Oslo, the Norwegian Chief of Defense, General
Vladimir Putin’s September 13 meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was accompanied by plenty of pomp and platitudes, but even the Kremlin’s top spin doctors could not disguise the sense of quiet desperation that hung over the event. Indeed, while the summit itself concluded without any formal announcements, the mere fact that the
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the removal of Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov on September 3 in what was the biggest change among the country’s political leaders since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion more than eighteen months ago. Reznikov’s departure comes following weeks of speculation over allegations of financial improprieties at the Ministry of Defense,
Over the past eighteen months, Ukraine’s ability to overcome the destruction and disruption created by Russia’s invasion has been so striking that some outside observers have even questioned the reality of the war. Every so often, video footage of Ukrainians engaged in everyday activities appears on social media accompanied by suggestions that the situation in
There are few more meaningful public holidays on the 2023 calendar than Ukrainian Independence Day. However, with the country locked in a brutal fight for national survival, few are in the mood to celebrate. Instead, this week’s thirty-second anniversary of the 1991 declaration of independence is an opportunity to reflect on the deep historical roots
How will the Russian invasion of Ukraine end? With Ukraine’s much hyped summer counteroffensive making slow progress, some international observers are questioning whether either side is capable of achieving a military breakthrough and arguing that a compromise peace with the Kremlin is inevitable. Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak does not agree. Like the vast majority
Vladimir Putin will not be traveling to South Africa in August for a summit of BRICS leaders, it was confirmed this week. The change of plan reflects fears in Moscow that the Russian dictator may face arrest for war crimes if he attends the annual event in Johannesburg. In early 2023, the International Criminal Court
Sweden is poised to become the thirty-second member of the NATO Alliance and Russia does not appear to be at all concerned by the prospect. The breakthrough moment for the Swedes came ahead of last week’s NATO summit in Vilnius, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to end months of opposition and back the
