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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 26, 2024

Ukraine’s innovative drone industry helps counter Putin’s war machine

By
David Kirichenko

Ukraine’s rapidly expanding and highly innovative domestic drone industry is helping the country compensate for Russia’s overwhelming advantages in both manpower and munitions, writes David Kirichenko.

Conflict
Defense Industry


UkraineAlert

Jun 25, 2024

Historic day for Ukraine as EU launches official membership talks

By
Peter Dickinson

Ukraine began official membership talks with the EU on June 25, providing the embattled East European nation with a powerful morale boost as it continues to fight for survival against Russia’s ongoing invasion, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict
Democratic Transitions


UkraineAlert

Jun 24, 2024

Kyiv Pride event highlights changing attitudes in wartime Ukraine

By
Aleksander Cwalina

Ukraine’s LGBTQI+ community is playing an important role in Ukraine’s ongoing European integration and defense against the Kremlin’s anti-Western crusade, writes Aleksander Cwalina.

Civil Society
Conflict


UkraineAlert

Jun 21, 2024

Russia’s flagship international forum showcases Putin’s pariah status

By
Edward Verona

The lack of international attendees at Russia’s flagship economic forum in June highlighted Vladimir Putin’s pariah status on the world stage, writes Edward Verona.

Conflict
Economy & Business


UkraineAlert

Jun 20, 2024

Putin just reminded the world why Russia must lose

By
Peter Dickinson

Vladimir Putin’s bogus recent peace proposal was in reality a call for Ukraine’s surrender that underlines his continued commitment to the destruction of the Ukrainian state, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict
Defense Policy


UkraineAlert

Jun 20, 2024

FPV drones in Ukraine are changing modern warfare

By
Tomas Milasauskas, Liudvikas Jaškūnas

First Person View (FPV) attack drones are shaping the battlefield in Ukraine and transforming our understanding of modern warfare, write Tomas Milasauskas and Liudvikas Jaškūnas.

Conflict
Defense Industry


UkraineAlert

Jun 18, 2024

Ukraine’s peace summit offers solidarity but no breakthroughs

By
Mercedes Sapuppo

Ukraine’s hotly anticipated peace summit in Switzerland produced plenty of solidarity but did not result in any major diplomatic breakthroughs, writes Mercedes Sapuppo.

Conflict
Freedom and Prosperity


UkraineAlert

Jun 18, 2024

Holding Putin’s propagandists accountable for crimes in Ukraine

By
Kristina Hook, Anna Vyshniakova

Calls are mounting to hold Putin’s propagandists accountable for their role in inciting Russian atrocities committed during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, write Kristina Hook and Anna Vyshniakova.

Conflict
Disinformation


UkraineAlert

Jun 18, 2024

Ukraine’s recovery cannot begin without enhanced air defenses

By
Edward Verona

The recent Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin underlined the importance of additional air defenses before the country can begin to rebuild, writes Edward Verona.

Conflict
Economy & Business


UkraineAlert

Jun 15, 2024

The view from Kyiv: Why Ukrainian NATO membership is in US interests

By
Alyona Getmanchuk

US President Joe Biden recently voiced his skepticism over Ukrainian NATO membership, but enabling Ukraine to join the alliance would be in American interests, writes Alyona Getmanchuk.

Conflict
Defense Policy

spotlight

The views expressed in UkraineAlert are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.

The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting stability, democratic values, and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe and Turkey in the West to the Caucasus, Russia, and Central Asia in the East.

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Content

UkraineAlert

May 17, 2018

Ukraine’s New Populists: Who They Are and Why They’re Dangerous

By Volodymyr Yermolenko

Populists are flourishing almost everywhere. The demand for simple solutions in a complicated world makes their messages resonate. Ukraine is no exception. The country’s situation with numerous security and economic hardships provides fertile ground for populists. Over the last four years, Ukraine has embraced a number of painful structural reforms that have been partially successful. […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

May 17, 2018

How to Make Sense of Japan’s Delicate Balance Between Russia and Ukraine

By Maria Shagina

Showing solidarity with other G7 countries following Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine, Japan imposed sanctions on Russia—albeit reluctantly. The Ukraine crisis occurred amid Japan’s efforts to reinvigorate Japan-Russia relations in the hope of solving the long-standing territorial dispute over the Northern territories (the Kuril Islands in Russian). Subsequently, maintaining Japan’s balance between other G7 countries […]

China Japan

UkraineAlert

May 16, 2018

Do Ukraine’s Reformers Have a Real Shot at the Presidency?

By Melinda Haring

Ukraine’s opposition is a mess—but this is hardly news. Through Ukraine’s nearly three decades of independence, its opposition has never gotten its act together. Consequently, the same corrupt elite continues to govern the country of 45 million to its detriment. Ukraine managed to squander the gains of its street revolution in 2004, and as the […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

May 15, 2018

What Does Ukraine’s New Military Approach Toward the Donbas Mean?

By Vera Zimmerman

Ukraine wants to reframe its approach to resolving the ongoing conflict with Russia. Beginning last month, the military is now in charge of ground operations. The launch of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) replaced the four-year Anti-Terrorism Operation (ATO) and marks Ukraine’s shift to a more active defense. President Petro Poroshenko thinks that the new […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

May 15, 2018

The Only Way to Improve Ukraine’s Courts

By Mykhailo Zhernakov

No state can function without justice, and Ukraine is no exception.  For years, corruption and the absence of justice, together with Russian military aggression, have held back the country. After four years of struggle and numerous pieces of legislation, there has been little progress. Ukraine started out with a good idea: reformers wanted to create […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

May 14, 2018

Absurd Price Hikes and Epic Hospitality: Kyiv’s Champions League Showcases Best and Worst of Ukraine

By Peter Dickinson

Kyiv’s preparations to host the 2018 Champions League Final on May 26 have been something of a rollercoaster ride that has highlighted the very best and worst of Ukraine. The international media buildup to the big match began with a flurry of negative stories criticizing Ukrainian hoteliers and apartment rental services for inflating prices to […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

May 9, 2018

No Longer a Soldier: Ukraine’s Returned Volunteers Are Embracing Second and Third Careers

By Ruslan Minich

“Finding myself in Kyiv now, I smell blood and diesel from time to time. These triggers will always be there,” says Alina Viatkina, a paramedic for the volunteer Hospitallers Medical Battalion. “But you can’t lose control for three days every time. You are learning how to calm yourself: OK, this is the smell of blood. […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

May 9, 2018

Ukraine’s Least Celebrated Oligarch-Free Institution That You Haven’t Heard Of

By Oksana Bedratenko

As Ukraine’s economy begins to grow modestly, its Central Bank is striving to become an anchor of stability. The country needs to preserve the fragile macroeconomic stability it has achieved and use the upswing in the global economy to conduct reforms and stimulate economic growth. The task, however, still meets formidable obstacles; a number of […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

May 9, 2018

Unreality TV: Why the Kremlin’s Lies Stick

By Diane Francis

In 2014, Russian-backed rebels used a Moscow-supplied missile to shoot down Malaysia Airlines flight 17 over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. Russian state TV made wild claims such as the passengers were already dead, a Ukrainian fighter jet shot down the plane, and the CIA was behind the plot. Since 2016, Russian […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

May 8, 2018

Here’s How Ukraine Should Remember Victory Day

By Iuliia Mendel

Ukraine’s post-Maidan leadership has focused on building patriotism to unite the nation as it suffered from turbulence and war. The patriotism that emerged from the Euromaidan promoted a nationalistic symbolism that rejected and replaced the prevailing Russian and Soviet identities. But instead of uniting the country, the current effort has expanded the divide between Ukrainians […]

Ukraine