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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

May 19, 2026

From Moscow to Crimea, Ukraine is winning the drone war against Russia

By David Kirichenko

As Russia’s full-scale invasion enters a fifth summer, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the tide in the drone war has turned in Ukraine’s favor, writes David Kirichenko.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

May 19, 2026

Ukraine’s experience can teach Europe how to defend against Russia

By Valeriya Ionan, Nicolas Dunais

Ukraine's wartime transformation should inform European defense modernization in both technology and doctrine. Europe must now choose: Seize the opportunity to adapt or procrastinate and risk future defeat, write Valeriya Ionan and Nicolas Dunais.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

May 14, 2026

Putin’s parade projected weakness but he is now more dangerous than ever

By Maksym Beznosiuk, William Dixon

While the Kremlin dictator is clearly in a weakened position, a diminished Vladimir Putin could be more dangerous than ever, write Maksym Beznosiuk and William Dixon.

Conflict Drones

UkraineAlert

May 14, 2026

Zelenskyy raises alarm over Russia’s escalating ‘human safari’ in Ukraine

By Oleksandr Tolokonnikov

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has raised the alarm over Russia’s escalating “human safari” tactics targeting the civilian population in southern Ukraine’s Kherson region, writes Oleksandr Tolokonnikov.

Conflict Drones

UkraineAlert

May 14, 2026

Bulgaria is unlikely to become Putin’s new proxy within the European Union

By Kristian Kafozov

Newly elected Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev is unlikely to replace recently ousted Hungarian leader Viktor Orban as Vladimir Putin's proxy within the EU and NATO, writes Kristian Kafozov.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

May 12, 2026

Ukrainian long-range drones are turning Russia’s size into a weakness

By Peter Dickinson

Ukraine is waging a strategic bombing campaign of deep strikes across the Russian Federation that aims to exploit Russia's colossal size and transform it from a key strength into a fatal weakness, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

May 12, 2026

EU targets Kyrgyzstan as Brussels seeks to prevent Russian sanctions evasion

By Marc Goedemans

The latest EU sanctions on Russia also featured measures against Kyrgyzstan. This was the first use of so-called anti-circumvention tools, which are designed to prevent third countries from helping the Kremlin bypass restrictions over the invasion of Ukraine, writes Marc Goedemans.

Central Asia Conflict

UkraineAlert

May 7, 2026

Putin is dragging Belarus deeper into Russia’s Ukraine invasion

By Hanna Liubakova

Belarus may not currently be poised to join the invasion of Ukraine, but Vladimir Putin is clearly intent on dragging the country deeper into Russia’s war effort, writes Hanna Liubakova.

Belarus Conflict

UkraineAlert

May 6, 2026

Ukrainian battlefield gains expose Russia’s communications problems

By Miro Sedlák

Ukraine has demonstrated in recent months that it is capable of exploiting weaknesses in Russia’s front line defenses. Kyiv’s allies should now seek to prioritize the tools that will identify and exacerbate these weak points, writes Miro Sedlák.

Conflict Cybersecurity

UkraineAlert

May 4, 2026

Zelenskyy rains on Putin’s parade: Kyiv and Moscow declare rival ceasefires

By Peter Dickinson

Victory Day was supposed to be an opportunity for Vladimir Putin to project power. Instead, this year’s drastically scaled down parade is exposing Russia’s weakness while revealing Ukraine's strength, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Drones

spotlight

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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

UkraineAlert

Dec 18, 2023

Support Ukraine today or fight Russia tomorrow

By Oleksandr Zavitnevych

The threat posed by Vladimir Putin's revisionist agenda can no longer be downplayed or denied. Instead, the choice facing Western leaders is simple: Support Ukraine today or fight Russia tomorrow, writes Oleksandr Zavitnevych.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Dec 17, 2023

2024 preview: The West must decide if it wants Ukraine to win

By Richard D. Hooker, Jr.

If Western leaders fail to provide Ukraine with the weapons to defeat Putin in 2024, this will significantly increase the likelihood of a direct military confrontation between Russia and NATO, writes Richard D. Hooker Jr.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

Dec 14, 2023

Historic breakthrough for Ukraine as EU agrees to begin membership talks

By Peter Dickinson

European leaders have agreed to officially start EU membership talks with Ukraine in a morale-boosting victory for Ukrainians as they defend their country against Russia’s ongoing invasion, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Dec 14, 2023

Russia and China are part of the same problem for the United States

By Glenn Chafetz

China and Russia act together as an autocratic axis to endanger the United States and its democratic allies, writes Glenn Chafetz. Any attempt to appease Russia in Ukraine would only benefit China and weaken the US.

China Conflict

UkraineAlert

Dec 12, 2023

Ukraine’s AI road map seeks to balance innovation and security

By Mykhailo Fedorov

As the world grapples with the implications of rapidly evolving Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, Ukraine has recently presented a national road map for AI regulation that seeks to balance the core values of innovation and security, writes Ukraine's Minister for Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov.

Artificial Intelligence Conflict

UkraineAlert

Dec 12, 2023

New Polish PM Donald Tusk vows “full mobilization” of West to help Ukraine

By Peter Dickinson

Poland’s newly appointed Prime Minister Donald Tusk has vowed to rally Western support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia’s ongoing invasion, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Dec 7, 2023

While the West dithers, the future of the world is being decided in Ukraine

By Peter Dickinson

If Western leaders choose to stop arming Ukraine against Russia's invasion, future generations will view their decision as one of the great geopolitical turning points of the twenty-first century, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Dec 7, 2023

Russia’s invasion cannot derail Ukraine’s rule of law reforms

By Denys Maslov, Oleksandr Vasiuk

As Ukraine defends itself against Russia's invasion, the country is also pursuing an ambitious reform agenda that is primarily focused on transforming the Ukrainian legal system and establishing the rule of law, write MPs Denys Maslov and Oleksandr Vasiuk.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Dec 5, 2023

Fake history is a crucial weapon in Vladimir Putin’s bid to destroy Ukraine

By Ihor Smeshko

The invading Russian army is not the only enemy Ukraine faces; the Kremlin propaganda and false historical narratives that drive and justify the invasion are arguably just as deadly, writes Ihor Smeshko.

Conflict Disinformation