Stay Updated

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

Jan 24, 2023

Putin is facing defeat in the information war

By
Peter Dickinson

Russia's entire invasion of Ukraine has been built on a web of deceit but Putin is now facing defeat in the information war as the gap between the Kremlin's alternative reality and the real world becomes too big to bridge.


Conflict


Disinformation


UkraineAlert

Jan 24, 2023

Wartime Ukraine must maintain course from Russian past to European future

By
Andrew D’Anieri

As Russia continues its genocidal war against Ukraine, it is more important than ever for Kyiv to maintain its commitment to the European future that so many Ukrainians are currently fighting for, writes Andrew D’Anieri.


Civil Society


Conflict


UkraineAlert

Jan 24, 2023

Leopard tank saga: Germany remains haunted by history

By
Bohdan Vitvitsky

Germany's reluctance to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine reflects the ongoing influence of war guilt for the crimes of the Nazi era while also highlighting a failure to differentiate between modern Russia and the Soviet Union.


Conflict


Defense Industry


UkraineAlert

Jan 18, 2023

Putin’s nuclear blackmail must not prevent the liberation of Crimea

By
Andriy Zagorodnyuk

Putin's nuclear threats have led some analysts to argue against attempts to liberate Crimea but bowing down to the Russian dictator's nuclear blackmail would have dire consequences for global security, writes Andriy Zagorodnyuk.


Conflict


European Union


UkraineAlert

Jan 17, 2023

How Europe can help Ukraine defeat Russia and win the peace in 2023

By
Andreas Umland

Continued European support for Ukraine will be crucial in 2023 and must feature a combination of intensification and innovation if Vladimir Putin's invasion is to be decisively defeated, writes Andreas Umland.


Conflict


European Union


UkraineAlert

Jan 17, 2023

Resisting Russia one artwork at a time

By
Melinda Haring, Jacob Heilbrunn

“Women at War,” a new US exhibition featuring a variety of works by twelve female Ukrainian artists, is a symbol of defiance to the Kremlin’s latest attempt to expunge Ukraine’s heritage.


Civil Society


Conflict


UkraineAlert

Jan 16, 2023

Equity for Ukraine

By
Ira Straus

Excessive Western caution in the supply of weapons to Ukraine is costing Ukrainian lives and fueling Russian impunity while preventing meaningful progress toward peace, writes Ira Straus.


Conflict


European Union


UkraineAlert

Jan 13, 2023

Ukraine struggles to repair power grid as Russian airstrikes continue

By
Suriya Evans-Pritchard Jayanti

Efforts to repair damage to Ukraine's electricity system caused by Russia's strategic bombing campaign are being hampered by a shortage of critical transformers, writes Suriya Evans-Pritchard Jayanti.


Conflict


Drones


UkraineAlert

Jan 12, 2023

The West reaps multiple benefits from backing Ukraine against Russia

By
Taras Kuzio

Ukraine is often viewed as being heavily reliant on Western support but the relationship is mutually beneficial and provides the West with enhanced security along with valuable intelligence, writes Taras Kuzio.


Conflict


Cybersecurity


UkraineAlert

Jan 12, 2023

Post-war Ukraine needs a smart digital transformation strategy

By
Anatoly Motkin

The war with Russia is far from over but it is important to begin looking ahead and setting the stage for Ukraine's post-war digital transformation, writes StrategEast Center president Anatoly Motkin.


Civil Society


Conflict

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.

Follow us on social media
and support our work

Content

UkraineAlert

Jan 16, 2017

Ukraine Versus China: The Fight for Europe’s Market

By James Brooke

In this week of pre-Trump nervousness, three expats—one American and two Brits—are doing what may seem counterintuitive: launching the Ukraine Business Journal in Kyiv. The goal is simple: provide a clear, factual, English-language window on the business opportunities and obstacles in Ukraine. We believe the time is right. Ukraine has a highly educated workforce of […]

China Russia

UkraineAlert

Jan 13, 2017

US Should Require Russia’s RT to Register as Foreign Agent

By Elena Postnikova

Russia used RT, its TV channel, to influence the recent US elections. This was the finding of the recently declassified US intelligence report; it concluded that Russia implemented a multifaceted campaign involving disclosures of data obtained through hacking, intrusions into state and local electoral boards, and propaganda. While the American elite is debating an appropriate […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 11, 2017

Ten Things You Should Know about Russian Involvement in Ukraine

By Vitalii Rybak

Russian President Vladimir Putin denies involvement in the conflict in Ukraine’s east. Despite his continued denials of Russia’s involvement in the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR), a growing body of evidence casts doubts on his claims. Here are ten things everyone needs to know about Russian involvement in Ukraine. 1. […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 11, 2017

The Fight for Ukraine Is Still Not Over

By Ilya Yashin

Russian President Vladimir Putin uses a broad array of tools to keep Ukraine in Russia’s sphere of influence and destabilize Ukraine’s current government. These tools include propaganda, financial support of loyal parties and journalists, corruption, economic pressure, political blackmail, and direct military intervention. Others have documented these tools well. I see four ways Putin is […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 10, 2017

Russia’s Crimea Bridge Could Collapse Anytime

By Halya Coynash

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called construction of a bridge between Russia and occupied Crimea a “historic mission.” He should pay better attention to history. This mission is doomed to failure, and not only because of sanctions. Experts warn that even if the bridge now under construction can be finished, its chances of standing for […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 10, 2017

Negotiating with Russia: A Scenario for Success

By Stephen Blank

Despite the flood of post-election pundits advising President-elect Donald Trump on how to approach Russia, few have offered any understanding of Moscow’s aims. But Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government has not hidden what it wants. It seeks an end to sanctions, recognition of Crimea as part of Russia, demilitarization of NATO in the Baltic and […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 9, 2017

Walk Down My Block in Kyiv and Take Ukraine’s Economic Pulse

By James Brooke

When assessing Ukraine, armchair economists love the macro perspective: sweeping views based on large data sets. Let’s look at the micro. Despite the fresh snow, let’s walk my 150-meter long block on Rohnidynska Street and take the pulse of Ukraine’s economy. One year after I signed my apartment lease, six original businesses survive on my […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 9, 2017

Onyshchenko’s Charges against Poroshenko Are Thin, but Case Unlikely to Fade

By John E. Herbst

Over the past six months, the case of Oleksandr Onyshchenko has gripped Ukraine. It is an important case, touching on the country’s hopes and disappointments concerning the scourge of corruption. The case burst on the political scene in the spring, when the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) brought charges against Onyshchenko, a businessman and Rada member. […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 3, 2017

Is Russia Planning a Major Land War against Ukraine?

By Alexander J. Motyl

Recent evidence suggest that Russia may be planning a major land war against Ukraine. While Russian President Vladimir Putin talks peace, several leading Russian analysts have explicitly endorsed the “Syrian variant” with respect to Ukraine. Are they speaking for themselves or are they acting on behalf of the regime, sending out trial balloons in order […]

Russia Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Jan 3, 2017

How to End the War in Ukraine in 2017

By Valentyn Nalyvaichenko

Victor Pinchuk’s recent opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, “Ukraine Must Make Painful Compromises for Peace with Russia,” does not take into account that any plan for Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories must first consider the will of the people living in those territories and seek their betterment. During a recent trip to Washington, DC, […]

Russia Ukraine