On the very first day of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, a Russian warship approached the tiny Ukrainian garrison on Snake Island with an ultimatum: “Lay down your arms and surrender, or you will be bombed.” Although hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned, the handful of Ukrainian troops stationed on the Black Sea island had no
Recent comments by Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, General Valery Zaluzhny, claiming that the war with Russia has reached a “stalemate,” have sparked fresh calls for a negotiated settlement. While this desire to end the bloodshed in Ukraine is perfectly understandable, anyone advocating a peace deal with Vladimir Putin must first reckon with the genocidal reality of Russia’s
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine first began in 2014, Russian aggression has included often-overlooked religious elements accompanied by the cynical use of religious narratives weaponized by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. Ukrainian religious communities in areas under Russian occupation have faced years of suppression and discrimination. Following Russia’s full-scale invasion
As Russia continues its assault on Ukraine, the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) is keeping a close eye on Russia’s movements across the military, cyber, and information domains. With more than seven years of experience monitoring the situation in Ukraine—as well as Russia’s use of propaganda and disinformation to undermine the United States, NATO,
As the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine moves toward the two-year mark, Vladimir Putin is still far from achieving his original goal of extinguishing Ukrainian independence and subjugating the entire country. Nevertheless, there are no indications that the Russian dictator is looking to end the war. On the contrary, Putin evidently believes time is on
For more than 600 days, Ukraine has demonstrated remarkable resilience as the country defends itself against Russia’s full-scale invasion. With the war now widely expected to continue into 2024 and possibly beyond, Ukraine will need significant additional financial support from its partners in order to defeat Russia. The Ukrainian economy is currently recovering more quickly
Two weeks since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy first confirmed delivery of ATACMS missiles from the United States, reports continue to mount of highly destructive strikes carried out against Russian targets in Ukraine using these long-range weapons. Sustained shipment of ATACMS missiles may soon create serious dilemmas for the invading Russian army in Ukraine. Putin’s military
How much longer can the West afford to continue supporting Ukraine? As Russia’s invasion enters its twenty-first month, this is the question growing numbers are now asking in Washington DC and other Western capitals. Concerns over mounting expenses are understandable but shortsighted. While Ukraine has so far received hundreds of billions of dollars in military
