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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

Jan 9, 2024

How strong is Russian public support for the invasion of Ukraine?

By
Vladimir Milov

Many in the West argue that the majority of Russians support the invasion of Ukraine. However, nuanced analysis of Russian polling data indicates this is not the case, and suggests the Russian public is actually more concerned with how soon the war will end, writes Vladimir Milov.

Civil Society
Conflict


UkraineAlert

Jan 4, 2024

To defeat Putin in a long war, Ukraine must switch to active defense in 2024

By
Mykola Bielieskov

By embracing a strategy of active defense in 2024, Kyiv can achieve the twin goals of preventing any major Russian advances and creating conditions that strongly favor Ukraine in what is increasingly a war of attrition, writes Mykola Bielieskov.

Conflict
Defense Policy


UkraineAlert

Jan 4, 2024

Russia’s invasion aims to erase Ukrainian cultural identity

By
Martha Holder

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine seeks to destroy Ukraine’s national heritage and erase Ukrainian identity. The authorities in Kyiv should respond by placing Ukrainian culture at the heart of the country’s recovery efforts, writes Martha Holder.

Civil Society
Conflict


UkraineAlert

Jan 4, 2024

Belarus opposition are key allies in the fight against Russian imperialism

By
Tatsiana Kulakevich, Michael Berg

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine dominates Europe’s geopolitical agenda, but neighboring Belarus is also a critical battleground in the fight back against Putin’s resurgent brand of Russian imperialism, write Tatsiana Kulakevich and Michael Berg.

Belarus
Civil Society


UkraineAlert

Jan 2, 2024

Ukraine needs urgent air defense aid as Putin launches bombing campaign

By
Peter Dickinson

As Russia launches a long-awaited new bombing campaign against Ukrainian cities, fears are mounting that deadlock over continued US and EU military aid may soon leave Ukraine facing critical air defense shortages, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict
Defense Technologies


UkraineAlert

Jan 2, 2024

Ukraine’s wartime economy is performing surprisingly well

By
Anders Åslund

The Ukrainian government is to be congratulated for its considerable accomplishments on the economic front while defending itself against Europe’s largest invasion since World War II, writes Anders Åslund.

Conflict
Economy & Business


UkraineAlert

Dec 21, 2023

Putin scents historic victory amid growing signs of Western weakness

By
Peter Dickinson

Recent indications of growing Russian confidence in victory over Ukraine owe much more to Western weakness than to the Kremlin’s own military might, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict
Defense Technologies


UkraineAlert

Dec 20, 2023

Ukrainian telecoms hack highlights cyber dangers of Russia’s invasion

By
Mercedes Sapuppo

An unprecedented December 12 cyber attack on Ukraine’s largest telecoms operator Kyivstar left tens of millions of Ukrainians without mobile services and underlined the cyber warfare potential of Russia’s ongoing invasion, writes Mercedes Sapuppo.

Conflict
Cybersecurity


UkraineAlert

Dec 19, 2023

Wartime Ukraine’s European energy integration continues

By
Aura Sabadus

Ukraine has been invited to join Europe’s leading electricity infrastructure association in January 2024 as the country’s remarkable wartime European energy sector integration continues, writes Aura Sabadus.

Conflict
Energy Markets & Governance


UkraineAlert

Dec 19, 2023

Ukraine’s EU accession process faces bureaucratic and political hurdles

By
James Batchik

The European Council’s recent decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine was a momentous moment both for Kyiv and the European Union. Now the serious work begins, writes James Batchik.

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.

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Content

UkraineAlert

Dec 4, 2014

Ukraine’s New Foreign-Born Ministers Vow to Accelerate Economic Reforms

By James Rupert

US- and Lithuanian-Born Officials Will Be Independent, Competent—and New to Governing in Kyiv The race is on. With Ukraine’s finances running thin and the country needing a bigger bailout from its western allies, the country’s new cabinet took office this week pledging to floor the accelerator on the spending cuts and reforms needed to begin […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Dec 4, 2014

Amid East Europe’s Tussle, Moldova Election Shows Need to Speed Reform

By James Rupert

US, EU Should Re-Focus Now on What May Be a Last, Best Chance for Critical Changes, Analysts Say Moldova’s pro-Europe parties have won a troubled election victory, taking barely enough parliament seats to renew their coalition and pursue the integration of Moldova with the European Union. That may hold open a window of opportunity—for perhaps […]

Eastern Europe
Elections

UkraineAlert

Nov 26, 2014

On Ukraine, the Economists Declare an Emergency

By James Rupert

Ukraine’s Friends Plan a Donor Conference in February; Is That Soon Enough? On Ukraine, the economists are declaring an emergency. Ukraine is bleeding cash in its war against Russian and Russian-proxy forces in the Donbas region. With its industrial heartland shattered by the war, the country’s economy is shriveling. And the warnings from economists are […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Nov 21, 2014

Before Ukraine Can Be Reformed, It Must Be Defended

By Paul Goble

When Hitler Invaded Poland, No One Demanded Polish Reforms Before Offering Help. Why Is It the Reverse for Ukraine? “September 3, 1939 – British and French commentators and officials said today that it could no longer be denied that Hitler was invading Poland and that the Nazi forces represented the most serious threat to the […]

Eastern Europe
Russia

UkraineAlert

Nov 18, 2014

Ukraine’s New Government: The Names Emerge

By New Atlanticist

We can expect Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, to meet this week to vote on the country’s new government. The political parties of President Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk and their allies are close to completing negotiations and announcing their choices for the new Cabinet of Ministers. Critically, a delegation is in Kyiv from […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Nov 18, 2014

Russians’ Once-Secretive Commander in Ukraine is On the Air

By Irena Chalupa

Colonel Igor Girkin Presses Kremlin to Expand Its War Through Southern and Eastern Ukraine “The Shooter” is back. Colonel Igor Girkin, the career Russian intelligence officer who disappeared three months ago from his leading role in the Russian-sponsored war against Ukraine, has burst anew into Russia’s news headlines. He has given a spate of interviews […]

Eastern Europe
Russia

UkraineAlert

Nov 12, 2014

Putin’s Project Sparta

By Adrian Karatnycky

As the US Congress Reconvenes, It and Europe Must Respond to the Kremlin’s Coming Offensive in Ukraine Russia has moved a massive wave of tanks, armored personnel carriers, and artillery into Ukraine’s Donbas region in recent days, accompanied by new uniformed troops without insignia, to bolster the armed forces of the Russian-sponsored Donetsk and Lugansk […]

Eastern Europe
Russia

UkraineAlert

Nov 10, 2014

How Russia Sells Itself to the Long-Demoralized People of Donbas

By Irena Chalupa

In Stakhanov, a Cossack Rebel and Local Radio Mix Nostalgias for Russia’s Greatness and Soviet Goodness While analysts of Russia’s assault on Ukraine debate the veiled question of President Vladimir Putin’s motives, little is hidden about how the Kremlin and its proxy forces are selling themselves to the long-demoralized people of southeastern Ukraine. As Moscow […]

Eastern Europe
Russia

UkraineAlert

Nov 7, 2014

For Putin, Ukraine’s Elections Backfired. So the War Is On Again.

By James Rupert

Analysts: Moscow Fights Now with Mercenaries and Local Trainees, But in 20 Weeks May Again Send Its Own Troops The Russian-Ukrainian conflict in southeastern Ukraine is sliding back quickly into all-out war. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said this morning that its forces have killed 200 separatist fighters and destroyed four tanks, plus artillery in the past […]

Eastern Europe
Russia

UkraineAlert

Nov 6, 2014

Ukraine’s Need for Fast Reform Means Government Has No Time for Infighting

By Sabine Freizer

Poroshenko and Yatsenyuk Must Cut Short Their Recent Signs of Rivalry As Ukraine’s new leading political parties renew their talks today, they can waste no time in forming the government that now must grapple with a financial emergency, economic crisis, and war in the east. They must avoid acrimony or drawn-out negotiations, yet some signs […]

Russia
Ukraine