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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

Sep 17, 2026

Ukraine can do more to counter Russia’s illicit finance threat

By Matthew McGlynn

For more than four years, Ukraine has impressed global audiences with the country’s ability to defend itself against Russia on land, at sea, and in the air. Illicit finance is another important front in the fight against Russian aggression, writes Matthew McGlynn.

Conflict Cybersecurity

UkraineAlert

Sep 17, 2026

Putin is escalating against NATO but a Baltic incursion remains unlikely

By James Rice

The recent escalation in Russian gray zone aggression across Europe has sparked a lively debate over how far the Kremlin may be prepared to go, but a Russian attack on the Baltic states remains unlikely, writes James Rice.

Conflict European Union

UkraineAlert

Sep 15, 2026

With Putin overextended in Ukraine, Armenia is turning away from Russia

By Joseph Epstein

Every day Ukraine keeps fighting, Russian influence grows weaker in the countries of the ex-USSR that Moscow refers to as the “near abroad.” Nowhere is this Russian retreat clearer than in Armenia, writes Joseph Epstein.

Conflict Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Sep 13, 2026

Learning from Ukraine’s unrivaled experience of Russian cyber warfare

By Iryna Volnytska

No country in the world today knows more about Russian cyber warfare than Ukraine, but further steps are required in order to help Kyiv’s partners make the most of Ukraine’s unrivaled experience, writes Iryna Volnytska.

Conflict Cybersecurity

UkraineAlert

Sep 11, 2026

Ukrainian police are preventing Russia from turning civilians into saboteurs

By Andrii Niebytov, Clara Kaluderovic

Since spring 2024, Russia has been waging a campaign far behind the front lines featuring arson, sabotage, and terrorist attacks using Ukrainians who are recruited online, deceived, and discarded, write Andrii Niebytov and Clara Kaluderovic.

Conflict Infrastructure Protection

UkraineAlert

Sep 10, 2026

Russia’s escalating bombing campaign is terrorizing Ukrainian schoolchildren

By Shelby Magid

Russia's escalating bombardment of Ukrainian cities is terrorizing a generation of Ukrainian schoolchildren who are being prevented from attending classes or forced to spend days in bomb shelters, writes Shelby Magid.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Sep 10, 2026

As Russia’s invasion falters, Putin boasts of imaginary victories

By Peter Dickinson

Putin was caught lying about imaginary Russian victories again in September. His habit of exaggerating battlefield gains reflects mounting unease over the credibility gap between the Kremlin’s superpower pretensions and his army’s underwhelming performance in Ukraine, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Sep 8, 2026

Ukrainian drone strikes are disarming Russia’s energy weapon

By Ana Lejava

For years, Russia wielded its energy capacity as a weapon against its neighbors to manipulate, coerce, and control. Ukraine’s strategic bombing campaign is now turning this energy weapon against Moscow itself, writes Ana Lejava.

Central Asia Conflict

UkraineAlert

Sep 8, 2026

Putin welcomes Trump’s peace envoys but has no intention of ending the war

By Peter Dickinson

Trump’s envoys continue to discuss win-win scenarios, but Putin is playing a zero sum game. His invasion of Ukraine is not a land grab or a geopolitical real estate deal. It is an attempt to reverse the Soviet collapse and revive the Russian Empire, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Sep 3, 2026

Putin cannot defeat NATO but he could divide and discredit the alliance

By Peter Dickinson

If Russian President Vladimir Putin decides to attack NATO, his goal will be to divide and discredit the alliance rather than actually defeating it, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Policy

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Content

UkraineAlert

Nov 16, 2023

Ukraine vows to strike back if Russia resumes energy infrastructure attacks

By Marcel Plichta

Ukrainians are currently preparing for a repeat of Russia's winter bombing campaign targeting the country's civilian energy infrastructure, but this year Ukraine has the capacity to strike back, writes Marcel Plichta.

Conflict Drones

UkraineAlert

Nov 14, 2023

Why Ukraine refuses to negotiate with “habitual liar” Vladimir Putin

By Peter Dickinson

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has dismissed mounting calls for a negotiated peace deal with Russia, arguing that Vladimir Putin is a "habitual liar" who cannot be trusted to keep his word, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Nov 13, 2023

Ukraine’s top general believes technology can defeat Putin’s Russia

By Mykola Bielieskov

Ukrainian commander-in-chief Valery Zaluzhny believes technology holds the key to defeating Russia's invasion and argues that drones and electronic warfare can help secure Ukrainian victory, writes Mykola Bielieskov.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Nov 13, 2023

Ukraine braces for another winter of Russian attacks on power grid

By Aura Sabadus

While the Ukrainian authorities have had over half a year to prepare for a new wave of Russian air strikes, the country’s civilian energy infrastructure remains vulnerable, writes Aura Sabadus.

Conflict Drones

UkraineAlert

Nov 9, 2023

Historic progress: Ukraine receives green light for EU membership talks

By Peter Dickinson

The European Commission this week recommended opening EU membership negotiations with Ukraine. The move represents historic progress at a time when Ukrainians are fighting to defend their independence and their right to choose a European future, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Corruption

UkraineAlert

Nov 7, 2023

Ukraine reports fresh success in the Battle of the Black Sea

By Peter Dickinson

Ukraine's success in the Battle of the Black Sea should convince the country's Western partners to finally abandon their cautious approach and provide the Ukrainian military with the weapons they need to defeat Russia, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Nov 7, 2023

Peace is impossible while Vladimir Putin denies Ukraine’s right to exist

By Taras Kuzio

While calls to end the bloodshed in Ukraine are perfectly understandable, anyone advocating a compromise peace deal with Vladimir Putin must first reckon with the genocidal reality of Russia’s invasion, writes Taras Kuzio.

Conflict Democratic Transitions

UkraineAlert

Nov 2, 2023

Faith leaders highlight Russian religious persecution in occupied Ukraine

By Shelby Magid, Mercedes Sapuppo

A delegation of Ukrainian faith leaders recently visited the United States and participated in a panel discussion to address Russia's policies of religious persecution and repression in occupied Ukraine.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

Nov 2, 2023

Putin will win unless the West finally commits to Ukrainian victory

By Ivan Verstyuk

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is more confident than ever that time is on his side in Ukraine and believes the Western world ultimately lacks the political will to oppose him, writes Ivan Verstyuk.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Oct 31, 2023

How to bridge the Ukrainian government’s wartime funding gap

By Anna Kornyliuk

With the current war now widely expected to continue into 2024 and possibly beyond, Ukraine will need significant additional financial support from its partners in order to defeat Putin's Russia, writes Anna Kornyliuk.

Conflict Economy & Business