Russia’s War in Ukraine
News, analysis, and background on military campaigns, battlefield technology, and global diplomacy, negotiations, and sanctions.
Ukraine Is Hitting Russia Where It Hurts: Its Oil Refineries
Kyiv’s two-year offensive against Russian oil facilities has intensified, eating away at Moscow’s energy revenues.
Russia’s Next Opposition Will Not Be Liberal
Army corruption and mass death are breeding new dissent—deep inside Vladimir Putin’s loyal core.
Ukraine Needs More Drones
Tight cooperation with Beijing and Tehran is giving Moscow an edge on the critical weapons.
Putin vs. the Press
You’d have to be fearless or a fanatic to persist in journalism in Russia. These women are both.
From Moldova to Africa, Russia’s Power Is Waning
The defeat of Moscow-friendly parties in the Moldovan election is just the latest of many setbacks.
Europe Is on Its Own With Russia Now
Donald Trump’s latest U-turn on Ukraine doesn’t change the naked truth for Europe.
Battlefield Strategy
Why the White House Is Considering Tomahawks for Ukraine
The move makes sense for U.S. strategy, but it may cause heartburn for isolationist and Pacific-focused Pentagon leaders.
The Mood on the Front Line, Three Years On
Ukrainian troops watch with anxiety as the United States moves closer to talks with Russia over the war.
How Russia Is Escalating the Drone Arms Race
Routine strikes involve smaller, daily launches designed to keep steady pressure on Ukraine. 
The ‘Paper Tiger’ Still Has Its Shadow Fleet
Trump says Russia is in economic trouble—but there's a loophole in the West's sanctions.
Wartime Diplomacy
Trump Makes U-Turn on Ukraine Rhetoric
Trump says Ukraine can win back all of its territory.
The Ghost of Finlandization Is Haunting the Ukraine Debate
A 1944 armistice that traded land for peace is a poor precedent for ending Russia’s war.
An Emerging Trump Doctrine?
Success in the Middle East could be a template for a new approach to Russia’s war.
What the Next Round of Sanctions Against Russia Should Look Like
Moscow has successfully restructured its economy on an impressive war footing, but there are weaknesses under the hood.
Regional Dynamics
A Russia-NATO War Would Look Nothing Like Ukraine
Moscow will seek to avoid a full-on war and focus on breaking the bloc’s resolve.
Europe’s Delusions Over What It Means to Deter Russia
Leaders are afraid to tell voters what it will take to defend their continent.
Anchors Away
Finland’s failure to convict Russian crew clears the way for more cable-cutting attacks.
The China-Russia Axis Is Getting Firmer, and It’s Built on Gas
Moscow pivoted to the east a decade ago, but it is now besmitten—or captive.
Latest Stories
The Conversation About Ukraine Is Cracking Apart
What government officials are saying in public, and private, is fascinating—and full of contradictions.
An End to the War Doesn’t Mean the End of Putin
Russia may well emerge from the war poor, belligerent, and with President Vladimir Putin still in power.
Ukraine’s War Has Finally Made Europe a Home
Russia’s invasion has made Europeans more emotionally attached to the continent than ever before.
A Surreal Evening at the Russian Embassy
Caviar and vodka on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine.
‘Killing Was a Game for Russians’
The war in Ukraine is a year old. Here are the stories of some who have survived.
Putin Needs Repression to Run an Unpopular War
The Russian state is doing more than ever to crush dissent.
Putin Should Have Known His Invasion Would Fail
Russian intelligence ignored facts in favor of wish-casting.
Ukraine Can Change the Future of Prosecuting Crimes of Aggression
The right to life trumps the right to fight, and knowledge of a war’s damage trumps belief in its justice.
Russia Sanctions: 10 Lessons and Questions for What Comes Next
What has the West learned from one year of unprecedented economic sanctions?
Where Is Vlad’s Mind?
Putin’s anti-Western speech elicited eye rolls, even at the Kremlin.
A Report Card on the War in Ukraine
If year two of the war were a carbon copy of the first, Russia would control almost one-third of Ukraine next February.
‘Putin Still Believes Russia Will Prevail’
Angela Stent and Michael Kofman discuss one year of the war in Ukraine—and what to expect next on the battlefield.
The War in Ukraine Affects Us All
The Netherlands’ prime minister argues that Russia’s war is a great-power conflict—with the world’s small states near its center.
Ukraine Is Serious About Taking Back Crimea
A Ukrainian attack on the Russian-occupied peninsula might only be a matter of time.
The Return of the Russia Question
What kind of country do Russians want to live in after the war?
Putin’s New START Announcement and the Future of Arms Control
Russia and the United States hold about 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons. What happens when they’re no longer talking?