Russia’s War in Ukraine

News, analysis, and background on military campaigns, battlefield technology, and global diplomacy, negotiations, and sanctions.

Putin, in a black suit and purple tie, holds a champagne flute.
Putin, in a black suit and purple tie, holds a champagne flute.

Trump’s Russia Sanctions Are Really Putting the Hurt On

He was late to the show, but he brought a big stick.

Analysis
Keith Johnson
The first batch of the Ukrainian-made drone missile "Peklo" is shown before its delivery to the Ukrainian military in Kyiv on Dec. 6, 2024.
The first batch of the Ukrainian-made drone missile "Peklo" is shown before its delivery to the Ukrainian military in Kyiv on Dec. 6, 2024.

A Complacent Pentagon Needs to Learn From Ukraine

The Europeans are deeply engaged with Kyiv on defense technology, but Washington is lagging behind.

Analysis
Christian Caryl
A Patriot air defense system protects an airport used for weapons deliveries to Ukraine in Jasionka, Poland, on March 6.
A Patriot air defense system protects an airport used for weapons deliveries to Ukraine in Jasionka, Poland, on March 6.

How to Get More U.S. Weapons to Ukraine

Opening Europe’s 150 billion euro defense fund to U.S. companies could seal the deal. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Bart M. J. Szewczyk
A blond woman in a black suit sits behind a sign with her last name on it. The EU flag is seen behind her.
A blond woman in a black suit sits behind a sign with her last name on it. The EU flag is seen behind her.

Ukraine’s New U.S. Ambassador Previews Her Pragmatic Approach to Washington

“I am Ukrainian, right? I’m not a Democrat or Republican.”

Interview
Sam Skove
Putin gives an interview
Putin gives an interview

From Moldova to Africa, Russia’s Power Is Waning

The defeat of Moscow-friendly parties in the Moldovan election is just the latest of many setbacks.

Analysis
Adrian Karatnycky, Alexander J. Motyl
Maria Semyonova, wife of a Russian soldier, poses in front of a recruitment poster in Moscow on December 17, 2023.
Maria Semyonova, wife of a Russian soldier, poses in front of a recruitment poster in Moscow on December 17, 2023.

How to Fight Putin on the Information Battlefield

The West can’t fully adopt Russia’s methods—but it should study them. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Peter Pomerantsev, Sviatoslav Hnizdovskyi

Battlefield Strategy

A fiery orange and black explosion behind a gray razor wire fence.
A fiery orange and black explosion behind a gray razor wire fence.

Ukraine Is Hitting Russia Where It Hurts: Its Oil Refineries

Kyiv’s two-year offensive against Russian oil facilities has intensified, eating away at Moscow’s energy revenues.

Analysis
Keith Johnson
Soldiers of the 115th Mechanized Brigade in a house where they are staying when not on the front lines near Lyman, Ukraine.
Soldiers of the 115th Mechanized Brigade in a house where they are staying when not on the front lines near Lyman, Ukraine.

The Mood on the Front Line, Three Years On

Ukrainian troops watch with anxiety as the United States moves closer to talks with Russia over the war.

Dispatch
Fabrice Deprez
Drones fly above grass in an open field dotted with trees and small sheds.
Drones fly above grass in an open field dotted with trees and small sheds.

How Russia Is Escalating the Drone Arms Race

Routine strikes involve smaller, daily launches designed to keep steady pressure on Ukraine. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Yasir Atalan
The oil tanker Eagle S is seen anchored near the Kilpilahti port in Porvoo, on the Gulf of Finland, on Jan. 7.
The oil tanker Eagle S is seen anchored near the Kilpilahti port in Porvoo, on the Gulf of Finland, on Jan. 7.

The ‘Paper Tiger’ Still Has Its Shadow Fleet

Trump says Russia is in economic trouble—but there’s a loophole in the West’s sanctions.

Argument
Petras Katinas

Wartime Diplomacy

From left, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.
From left, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

Trump Makes U-Turn on Ukraine Rhetoric

Trump says Ukraine can win back all of its territory.

Report
Sam Skove
A Finnish defender is seen near the front during the Finnish-Soviet Winter War in early 1940.
A Finnish defender is seen near the front during the Finnish-Soviet Winter War in early 1940.

The Ghost of Finlandization Is Haunting the Ukraine Debate

A 1944 armistice that traded land for peace is a poor precedent for ending Russia’s war. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Kristi Raik
U.S. President Donald Trump announces U.S. strikes on Iran with Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth standing alongside, at the White House in Washington on June 21.
U.S. President Donald Trump announces U.S. strikes on Iran with Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth standing alongside, at the White House in Washington on June 21.

An Emerging Trump Doctrine?

Success in the Middle East could be a template for a new approach to Russia’s war.

Argument
Adrian Karatnycky
Workers construct an outdoor ice skating rink in Red Square in downtown Moscow on Nov. 9, 2021.
Workers construct an outdoor ice skating rink in Red Square in downtown Moscow on Nov. 9, 2021.

What the Next Round of Sanctions Against Russia Should Look Like

Moscow has successfully restructured its economy on an impressive war footing, but there are weaknesses under the hood. This article has an audio recording

Argument
Nicholas Fenton, Maria Snegovaya

Regional Dynamics

U.S. Marines take part in the international military exercise Cold Response 22 near Sandstrand in northern Norway on March 21, 2022.
U.S. Marines take part in the international military exercise Cold Response 22 near Sandstrand in northern Norway on March 21, 2022.

A Russia-NATO War Would Look Nothing Like Ukraine

Moscow will seek to avoid a full-on war and focus on breaking the bloc’s resolve. This article has an audio recording

Analysis
Fabian Hoffmann
Ukrainian soldiers hold the Ukrainian and Lithuanian flags over the coffin of Tomas Valentelis, a Lithuanian volunteer in the Ukrainian army who was killed in battle in Ukraine, at a funeral ceremony in Kyiv on April 16.
Ukrainian soldiers hold the Ukrainian and Lithuanian flags over the coffin of Tomas Valentelis, a Lithuanian volunteer in the Ukrainian army who was killed in battle in Ukraine, at a funeral ceremony in Kyiv on April 16.

To Deter Russia, Europe Needs Ukraine

A Ukraine-Baltics defense pact would bring Kyiv into Europe’s security architecture.

Argument
Fredrik Wesslau
The oil tanker Eagle S next to Finnish border guard ship Uisko and tugboat Ukko in the Gulf of Finland on December 28, 2024.
The oil tanker Eagle S next to Finnish border guard ship Uisko and tugboat Ukko in the Gulf of Finland on December 28, 2024.

Anchors Away

Finland’s failure to convict Russian crew clears the way for more cable-cutting attacks.

Argument
Elisabeth Braw
A photo of two white tanks near a yellow crane. A blue-and-white tanker carrying liquified natural gas is docked nearby in snow and sea ice. White smoke billows out of its smokestack.
A photo of two white tanks near a yellow crane. A blue-and-white tanker carrying liquified natural gas is docked nearby in snow and sea ice. White smoke billows out of its smokestack.

The China-Russia Axis Is Getting Firmer, and It’s Built on Gas

Moscow pivoted to the east a decade ago, but it is now besmitten—or captive.

Analysis
Keith Johnson

Latest Stories

A soldier wearing a hat and face covering over his lower face and camouflage combat gear holds an artillery shell about the length of his forearm. He stands in a low, log-roofed bunker with boxes of ammunition stacked on either side.
A soldier wearing a hat and face covering over his lower face and camouflage combat gear holds an artillery shell about the length of his forearm. He stands in a low, log-roofed bunker with boxes of ammunition stacked on either side.

Fear and Hoarding on Ukraine’s Eastern Front

Ammo shortages are costing lives and time.

Dispatch
Oz Katerji
Instructors from the Norwegian Home Guard 12th District Company “Hegra” participate in a blank-fire exercise, together with Ukrainian soldiers, north of Trondheim, Norway.
Instructors from the Norwegian Home Guard 12th District Company “Hegra” participate in a blank-fire exercise, together with Ukrainian soldiers, north of Trondheim, Norway.

NATO Doesn’t Have Enough Troops

For the first time in decades, NATO has a plan to fight Russia. Now it just needs the forces to do it.

Report
Jack Detsch
A worker secures cylinders of Russian enriched uranium on a truck following its arrival at the port of Dunkirk, France on March 20, 2023.
A worker secures cylinders of Russian enriched uranium on a truck following its arrival at the port of Dunkirk, France on March 20, 2023.

Russia’s Rosatom Fuels Putin’s War Machine

The nuclear company’s expanding corporate empire is an urgent target for sanctions.

Argument
Lloyd Doggett
Drone operators for the Ukrainian army train not far from the front line in Ukraine's Donetsk region.
Drone operators for the Ukrainian army train not far from the front line in Ukraine's Donetsk region.

Ukraine’s Cheap Drones Are Decimating Russia’s Tanks

But experts say they’re not a long-term solution to a lack of artillery rounds.

Report
Jack Detsch
A black and white photo of a man standing at a podium holding his arm out.
A black and white photo of a man standing at a podium holding his arm out.

How Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Became Putin’s Spiritual Guru

The strange story of a global literary hero who went on to inspire Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Argument
Casey Michel
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg holds a press conference at a meeting of allied foreign ministers, coinciding with NATO’s 75th anniversary, at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 3.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg holds a press conference at a meeting of allied foreign ministers, coinciding with NATO’s 75th anniversary, at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 3.

NATO Tries to Trump-Proof Ukraine Aid

NATO wants to help Ukraine for the long term. But Kyiv needs help now.

Situation Report
Jack Detsch, Robbie Gramer
A pencil illustration depicts Jens Stoltenberg, in suit and glasses, gesturing.
A pencil illustration depicts Jens Stoltenberg, in suit and glasses, gesturing.

The Steady Hand

Jens Stoltenberg has led NATO through a decade of war, chaos, and Trump. What comes next?

Interview
Robbie Gramer
Security gates surround Moscow's Red Square.
Security gates surround Moscow's Red Square.

Migrants in Russia Are Terrified as Racism Grows After Deadly Attack

Violence and war are shaping Moscow’s brutal response.

Argument
Emily Couch, Sher Khashimov
Flowers are seen left outside the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow.
Flowers are seen left outside the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow.

Moscow Terrorist Attack Undercuts Putin’s Strongman Image

Russia’s security services are stretched, distracted, and politicized, experts say.

Analysis
Amy Mackinnon
A clock and calendar hang on a wall covered in floral, vined wallwaper. A hole from a shell is torn in the wall on the left of the scene, revealing a bright gleam of light from outside.
A clock and calendar hang on a wall covered in floral, vined wallwaper. A hole from a shell is torn in the wall on the left of the scene, revealing a bright gleam of light from outside.

Can Ukraine Escape the Curse of Nonexistence?

A landmark translation of a Ukrainian novel explores a nation caught between the jaws of empire.

Review
Johannes Lichtman
A massive orange conflagration of flames and thick smoke billows from a raging fire at a storage tank of al-Awda oil field.
A massive orange conflagration of flames and thick smoke billows from a raging fire at a storage tank of al-Awda oil field.

Shifting Conflicts Hit Key Energy Routes

From Russia to Yemen, gas and oil exports have become prime targets.

Analysis
Eugene Chausovsky
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet warships take part in the Navy Day celebrations in the port city of Novorossiysk on July 30, 2023.
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet warships take part in the Navy Day celebrations in the port city of Novorossiysk on July 30, 2023.

Russia’s Black Sea Naval Ambitions

Ukraine has busted up most of the Black Sea Fleet. Russia is plotting a comeback.

Situation Report
Robbie Gramer, Jack Detsch, Rishi Iyengar, Amy Mackinnon
A commercial airline aircraft flies past clouds as the sun sets over Kuwait City.
A commercial airline aircraft flies past clouds as the sun sets over Kuwait City.

War-Zone GPS Spoofing Is Threatening Civil Aviation

A surge in spoofing from the Middle East to northern Europe is throwing onboard navigation systems off course.

Report
Amy Mackinnon
A man seen from behind stands on grass with his arms outstretched to the sky. Above his head on a blue sky is a hovering drone.
A man seen from behind stands on grass with his arms outstretched to the sky. Above his head on a blue sky is a hovering drone.

Technology Alone Won’t Break the Stalemate in Ukraine

Kyiv’s Western backers need to grasp that drones are no substitute for a capable fighting force.

Argument
Gavin Wilde
Members of Ukraine’s 72nd Brigade anti-air unit use binoculars to search for Russian drones near Marinka, Ukraine, on Feb. 23.
Members of Ukraine’s 72nd Brigade anti-air unit use binoculars to search for Russian drones near Marinka, Ukraine, on Feb. 23.

Russia Is Betting on Battlefield Gains

As Ukrainian forces brace for a new Russian offensive, Kyiv urgently needs supplemental military aid and ammunition.

Argument
Doug Klain
A helicopter crew member of the Ukrainian Army carries a box of ammunition in each hand as he crosses a dirt path beneath a blue sky. There are patches of snow on the ground. Another solider is visible unloading more boxes from the back of a pickup truck in the background, and piles of empty, used shells are visible in the foreground.
A helicopter crew member of the Ukrainian Army carries a box of ammunition in each hand as he crosses a dirt path beneath a blue sky. There are patches of snow on the ground. Another solider is visible unloading more boxes from the back of a pickup truck in the background, and piles of empty, used shells are visible in the foreground.

The U.S. Military Is Running Short on Ammunition—and So Is Ukraine

If Congress fails to pass a national security supplemental funding bill, Ukraine will be getting fewer bullets.

Report
Jack Detsch
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