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As the world watches the Russian invasion of Ukraine unfold, UkraineAlert delivers the best Atlantic Council expert insight and analysis on Ukraine twice a week directly to your inbox.

editor’s picks

Latest analysis

UkraineAlert

Jun 30, 2026

Ukraine’s blockade of Crimea puts Putin’s greatest victory under threat

By Peter Dickinson

Crimea has long been seen as Vladimir Putin’s greatest victory, but Ukraine's drone blockade is now turning the Russian-occupied peninsula into an embarrassing symbol of imperial overreach, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

Jun 30, 2026

Banning Russian soldiers from the EU is a common sense security measure

By Elena Davlikanova, Tatiana Vorozhko

Supporters of the current proposal to ban Russian military personnel from the EU see it as a common sense security measure in response to the Kremlin's escalating hybrid war against Europe, write Elena Davlikanova and Tatiana Vorozhko.

Conflict Cybersecurity

UkraineAlert

Jun 25, 2026

Belarus is quietly preparing to play a larger role in Russia’s Ukraine war

By Hanna Liubakova

Belarus dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka is not enthusiastic about the prospect of joining Russia’s Ukraine invasion, but he appears to be steadily building up his country’s military capacity in case he finds himself pushed more directly into the war, writes Hanna Liubakova.

Belarus Conflict

UkraineAlert

Jun 25, 2026

The West can learn from Ukraine’s AI future vision beyond the battlefield

By Andrew D’Anieri

The US and Europe are already looking to Ukraine for the next generation of defense technologies. As Western countries debate their own AI strategies, they would likewise do well to examine Ukraine as a similar starting point for further innovation, writes Andrew D’Anieri.

Artificial Intelligence Conflict

UkraineAlert

Jun 23, 2026

Putin vowed to demilitarize Ukraine. Instead, he created a major military power.

By Peter Dickinson

When Putin launched the full-scale invasion in 2022, he identified the “demilitarization” of Ukraine as one his two primary war aims. It is now clear that he has failed in the most spectacular fashion imaginable, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Jun 23, 2026

Ukraine tightens drone blockade of Russian-occupied Crimea

By Maksym Beznosiuk, William Dixon

Ukraine is currently conducting a mid-range drone strike campaign aiming to cut access to Russian-occupied Crimea and place the Black Sea peninsula under a logistics lockdown, write Maksym Beznosiuk and William Dixon.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

Jun 23, 2026

Russia intensifies shadow war to undermine support for Ukraine

By Zahar Hryniv

Russia is waging an escalating shadow war against the West as the Kremlin attempts to intimidate Europe and deter further support for Ukraine, writes Zahar Hryniv.

Conflict Cybersecurity

UkraineAlert

Jun 18, 2026

Putin’s obsession with ‘denazifying’ Ukraine makes peace impossible

By Peter Dickinson

Putin’s obsession with “denazifying” Ukraine makes a mockery of efforts to portray the Russian invasion as a mere land grab and helps explain why there has been no meaningful progress toward peace despite more than a year of US-led efforts, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Jun 18, 2026

Ukrainian drones are cutting Russian logistics and reshaping the battlefield

By David Kirichenko

In recent months, Ukraine has dramatically expanded the use of mid-range drones to disrupt Russian logistics behind the front lines and shape the battlefield for future offensive operations, writes David Kirichenko.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Jun 18, 2026

Ukraine begins EU membership talks amid skepticism over associate option

By Andreas Umland

Ukraine officially opened membership talks with the ‌European Union this week in a move hailed by Ukrainian officials as “a Rubicon” moment for the war-torn country. While this is welcome news for Kyiv, it remains unclear how long it could still take to actually join the EU, writes Andreas Umland.

Conflict Drones

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UkraineAlert

Sep 27, 2019

Why Zelenskyy needs a new chief of staff now

By Melinda Haring

A new investigation may shed light on the views of Zelenskyy's chief of staff Andriy Bohdan toward Russia and the West.

Corruption Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Sep 26, 2019

Expert Q&A: How’s the US-Ukraine relationship after New York?

By Melinda Haring

How’s the US-Ukraine relationship after New York? What should Zelenskyy do next? How could Russian President Vladimir Putin exploit this?

Corruption Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Sep 26, 2019

Will Zelenskyy make the same fatal mistake as Poroshenko?

By Kateryna Butko

Judicial reform is one of the most anticipated promises made by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his unorthodox campaign.

Civil Society Political Reform

UkraineAlert

Sep 26, 2019

Explainer: Five things about the Ukraine controversy you need to know (plus a freebie)

By Melinda Haring

Many of the names in the Ukraine controversy are new to general readers, so we attempt to answer a few basic questions. If you have others, please drop us a line on Twitter.

Democratic Transitions Political Reform

UkraineAlert

Sep 26, 2019

Gontareva: “Too many have sacrificed and died to let oligarchs run the country again.”

By Diane Francis

Support for the National Bank of Ukraine and Gontareva from the West has been overwhelming, but if Zelenskyy cannot take on Kolomoisky, then his landmark election and reform agenda will be added to the trash heap of failed Ukrainian presidents and support for the country will erode.

Civil Society Corruption

UkraineAlert

Sep 24, 2019

What’s at stake with the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting

By Paul Grod

Ukraine is at risk of coming to the negotiation table with a weak hand, unless the United States throws its full support behind it and encourages Europe to do the same.

Conflict Political Reform

UkraineAlert

Sep 24, 2019

Culture wars, Odesa style

By Konstantin Akinsha

Roytburd’s case is important for many reasons, but first, it unites politicians from different camps. He is supported by both top Poroshenko and Zelenskyy people.

Civil Society Human Rights

UkraineAlert

Sep 23, 2019

The Kremlin is betting we will forget these names

By Vitalii Rybak

The release of prisoners was a big win, but activists worry that those who remain behind will be forgotten.

Conflict Crisis Management

UkraineAlert

Sep 23, 2019

Ukraine’s place in the geopolitical puzzle is shifting. That was the point.

By Maksym Panchenko

We don’t know what Zelenskyy gave up to get the prisoners back, but it probably wasn’t small. Ukrainian detainees have been one of Putin’s major pressure points on Ukraine for five plus years.

Conflict Crisis Management

UkraineAlert

Sep 19, 2019

How to lose friends and allies

By Diane Francis

If Kolomoisky is not renounced and investigated, the world will turn its back on Ukraine. But the Russians and oligarchs won’t.

Corruption Political Reform