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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

Feb 26, 2026

Ukraine’s women may hold the key to the country’s future security

By Calin Trenkov-Wermuth, Sofia Kryshtal

Ukraine's female population should play a larger part in the country's future security strategy and can take on a wide range of military support and administrative roles far from the front lines, write Calin Trenkov-Wermuth and Sofia Kryshtal.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Feb 26, 2026

Putin’s plan: Make Ukraine unlivable by destroying essential infrastructure

By William Dixon, Maksym Beznosiuk

With the Russian army currently unable to achieve any meaningful breakthroughs on the battlefield, Putin's plan for 2026 looks set to focus on escalating bombardment of Ukrainian civilian infrastructure in a bid to make the country unlivable, write William Dixon and Maksym Beznosiuk.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Feb 24, 2026

Fiber-optic drones have emerged as critical kit for both Russia and Ukraine

By Vlad Sutea

Fiber-optic drones may not replace conventional unmanned systems, but they have established themselves in Ukraine as a durable component of the modern battlefield toolkit, writes Vlad Sutea.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Feb 24, 2026

Ukrainians don’t want to be resilient. Putin has given them no other choice.

By Peter Dickinson

For the past four years, Ukrainians have been praised for their remarkable resilience, but in reality most recognize that Russia's genocidal invasion leaves them with no real choice but to fight on, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Feb 20, 2026

After four years of Russia’s invasion, time to stop underestimating Ukraine

By Mykola Bielieskov

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine enters a fifth year, it is time to stop underestimating the Ukrainian military and recognize that Kyiv is now a major military power with plenty of trump cards in its possession, writes Mykola Bielieskov.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

Feb 19, 2026

Ukraine hopes escalating Russian losses will push Putin toward peace

By David Kirichenko

As the Russian invasion enters a fifth year, Ukraine is hoping escalating Russian losses can finally force Putin to seek a meaningful settlement, writes David Kirichenko.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Feb 19, 2026

As Russian battlefield losses mount, Putin is turning to Africa for soldiers

By Katherine Spencer

Russia’s growing reliance on African recruits to continue the war in Ukraine is a powerful symbol of an invasion that has gone horribly wrong for Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin, writes Katherine Spencer.

Africa Conflict

UkraineAlert

Feb 17, 2026

Ukrainian defense tech companies must prepare for export opportunities

By Michael Druckman

Ukraine’s defense sector has already demonstrated enormous battlefield credibility. The next phase is commercial and institutional credibility, writes Michael Druckman.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Feb 17, 2026

A bad Ukraine peace could ignite new wars in Russia’s former empire

By Joseph Epstein

If a settlement in Ukraine frees up Russian military resources without establishing credible deterrents against further Kremlin aggression, Moscow will have the means and the motive to reassert dominance elsewhere in its former empire, writes Joseph Epstein.

Central Asia European Union

UkraineAlert

Feb 12, 2026

Vladimir Putin is trapped in a war he cannot win but dare not end

By Peter Dickinson

As the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale Ukraine invasion approaches, Vladimir Putin finds himself trapped in a war he cannot win but dare not end for fear of entering Russian history as the man who lost Ukraine, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation

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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.

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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

UkraineAlert

Jun 13, 2024

Ukraine officially embraces English as historic westward pivot continues

By Oleksiy Goncharenko

By officially embracing English, Ukrainians aim to support their country’s historic pivot away from Moscow and return to the European community of nations, writes Oleksiy Goncharenko.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Jun 12, 2024

Ukraine is making the Russian occupation of Crimea untenable

By Olivia Yanchik

Ukraine's growing air strike capabilities are decimating Russian air defenses in Crimea and making the occupation of the peninsula increasingly untenable, writes Olivia Yanchik.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

Jun 11, 2024

Victory in Ukraine would dramatically strengthen Putin’s war machine

By Peter Dickinson

Victory in Ukraine would greatly strengthen Russia militarily, economically, and strategically, while severely weakening the West. Faced with such uniquely favorable circumstances, it is fanciful to suggest a triumphant Putin would simply stop, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Jun 11, 2024

The terrible cost of Russia’s war is being felt far beyond the battlefield

By Mark Temnycky

From mental health and population decline to the economy and education, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has had a profoundly negative impact on Ukrainian society that will be felt for generations to come, writes Mark Temnycky.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Jun 6, 2024

Allies stand with Ukraine as Russian threat looms over D-Day anniversary

By Peter Dickinson

Putin has tried to justify his invasion of Ukraine by portraying Ukrainians as Nazis. But as this week's D-Day anniversary made clear, it is Putin himself who is seen as the greatest single threat to peace in Europe since Adolf Hitler, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Jun 6, 2024

Russia is winning the energy war and plunging Ukraine into darkness

By Elena Davlikanova

Electricity blackouts are the new normal in Ukraine as the country struggles to cope with the consequences of a devastating Russian air offensive that has destroyed around half of Ukraine’s wartime power-generating capacity since the start of 2024, writes Elena Davlikanova.

Conflict Geopolitics & Energy Security

UkraineAlert

Jun 4, 2024

Vladimir Putin just tacitly admitted Crimea is not really part of Russia

By Peter Dickinson

Russia claims to have annexed five Ukrainian provinces but refuses to extend security red lines to these regions. This highlights the pragmatic political realities behind Putin's talk of historic conquests, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation