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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.

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Latest analysis

UkraineAlert

Jun 2, 2026

As Russia’s Ukraine invasion unravels, Putin escalates attacks on civilians

By Peter Dickinson

Russia launched a major bombardment of Ukrainian cities on June 2 as Vladimir Putin continues to escalate attacks on Ukraine's civilian population amid growing signs that his invasion is unraveling, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Technologies

UkraineAlert

Jun 2, 2026

Ukraine is now Europe’s shield but still needs more help to stop Russia

By Olena Tregub

Europeans increasingly recognize Ukraine as the continent's shield against Russian aggression, but this must not fuel complacency over the country's ability to bear the current burden indefinitely, writes Olena Tregub.

Conflict Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

May 28, 2026

Ukraine’s battlefield success should not lead us to underestimate Russia

By Peter Dickinson

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has failed to achieve any of its key goals, but this reflects Ukrainian strength rather than Russian weakness. Putin's army remains a formidable threat to Europe that must not be underestimated, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

May 26, 2026

Kyiv hosts Belarus opposition leader as Moscow drags Minsk closer to war

By Hanna Liubakova

As concern mounts that Moscow is pushing Minsk to join the invasion of Ukraine, Kyiv is strengthening ties with the democratic Belarusian opposition, writes Hanna Liubakova.

Belarus Conflict

UkraineAlert

May 22, 2026

Vyshyvanka Day celebrates Ukrainian identity amid Russia’s genocidal war

By Peter Dickinson

Ukraine's annual Vyshyvanka Day holiday has emerged as a simple yet profound grassroots celebration of Ukrainian national identity at a time when Russia is attempting to destroy Ukraine as a state and as a nation, writes Peter Dickinson.

Civil Society Conflict

UkraineAlert

May 21, 2026

As Russian losses mount in Ukraine, Putin seeks more foreign fighters

By Marc Goedemans, Katherine Spencer

With no end in sight to the invasion of Ukraine, Putin is looking to recruit more foreign fighters to counter heavy Russian losses while avoiding a politically risky mobilization, write Marc Goedemans and Katherine Spencer.

Africa Central Asia

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

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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

Sep 29, 2026

Europe needs a new strategy for Russian grey zone aggression

By Maksym Beznosiuk, William Dixon

Europe needs a new counter-hybrid playbook, but an approach that focuses on coordinating responses after Russian attacks have already taken place is not an effective deterrent, write Maksym Beznosiuk and William Dixon.

Cybersecurity Defense Policy

UkraineAlert

Sep 29, 2026

Ukraine’s innovative robot offensive just reversed a year of Russian gains

By David Kirichenko

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hopes of capturing eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region have been dealt a major blow in recent months by an innovative Ukrainian offensive that has reversed over a year of Russian territorial gains, writes David Kirichenko.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Sep 29, 2026

Vladimir Putin only has two options in Ukraine: Total victory or endless war

By Peter Dickinson

US-led efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine War by offering the Kremlin limited territorial concessions reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the imperial ambitions driving Putin's invasion, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Disinformation

UkraineAlert

Sep 24, 2026

Ukraine’s defense tech sector must offer investors more than innovation

By Olga Usenko

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Ukraine has built one of the world’s most dynamic defense tech ecosystems under conditions few industries ever face. However, innovation alone will not be enough to win over potential investors, writes Olga Usenko.

Conflict Defense Industry

UkraineAlert

Sep 23, 2026

Putin’s Ukraine invasion has made Russia China’s junior partner

By Zahar Hryniv

Putin’s evident inability to secure Beijing’s backing for the Power of Siberia-2 pipeline is strengthening international perceptions that the invasion of Ukraine has reduced Russia to the status of China’s junior partner, writes Zahar Hryniv.

China Conflict

UkraineAlert

Sep 22, 2026

Ukrainians are braced for a brutal winter. Are the Russians also ready?

By Peter Dickinson

With Ukraine's air defenses running low, Russia is expected to escalate the bombardment of Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure ahead of the coming winter season in a bid to freeze the country into submission, writes Peter Dickinson.

Conflict Defense Technologies

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