Local Democracy and the Anti-War Narrative in Russia: Insights for the Present, Lessons for the Future? By Guzel Garifullina When a municipal council member from Moscow, Alexey Gorinov, stood up during a council meeting in March 2022 and suggested a moment of silence for the victims of the invasion in Ukraine, he might have realized... Continue Reading →
Serhii Plokhy on the Russo-Ukrainian War
Serhii Plokhy is a Professor of Ukrainian history at Harvard University and the Director of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. He’s written many books including The Gates of Europe, Nuclear Folly, and Atoms to Ashes. His most recent book is The Russo-Ukrainian War: The Return of History. Access Bonus Episodes on Patreon Make a one-time Donation... Continue Reading →
Violence Against Civilians: The Wagner Group, Brutality and Exploitation of Africa
By Akinyetun, Tope Shola The incidence of violence in Africa has exponentially increased over the last decade. There has been an increase in violent extremist attacks, terrorism, insurgency, farmer-herder crises, identity conflicts, climate-induced violence, and banditry – inter alia – resulting in the deaths of thousands of people and the destruction of property. Data from... Continue Reading →
The Invasion of Ukraine and the Geopolitics of Energy
By David Bernell As the war in Ukraine goes on, with Ukraine’s army thus far stopping the Russian push at Bakhmut, and a Ukrainian offensive expected as more (and more lethal) weaponry is being supplied by members of NATO, one of the issues that held greater salience earlier in the war continues to play a... Continue Reading →
Ukraine: A Boon or Bust for U.S. Power? It’s Complicated
By C. William Walldorf, Jr. A Boon or A Bust? Is the war in Ukraine a boon or bust for U.S. power? Despite Ukraine’s remarkable success, NATO’s increased unity, and Russia’s poor military performance, the answer to that question is more complicated than some might think. Especially in a war’s early stages, assessing the impact... Continue Reading →
Some Realists are Unrealistic About Russia
By Justin Kempf A Tragic Anniversary One year ago today Russia invaded Ukraine. It's difficult to adequately describe what has happened. Some call it the War in Ukraine. But this description absolves Russia of its role in starting the conflict. Serhii Plokhy has a new book called The Russo-Ukrainian War. This sounds like a fairer description.... Continue Reading →
Recommended Reading: In Isolation
A Review of In Isolation: Dispatches from Occupied Donbas by Stanislav Aseyev Review By Justin Kempf In Isolation Many of us recognize the Russo-Ukrainian War began in 2014 in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. However, few of us know much about the conflict before 2022. For so long it was a distant affair in what... Continue Reading →
The Value of Airpower and the War in Ukraine
By John Christianson The Value of Airpower for Modern Militaries The Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022 shocked the world and united western democracies in a way Vladimir Putin has always aimed to undermine. The war has now become a clarion call for the defense of democracy from external threats that has united... Continue Reading →
Why We Support Ukraine
By Justin Kempf Why We Support Ukraine Yesterday Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered an address to Congress where he made his case for continued military and economic support for his country. During his time in Washington, he made the case not just for additional weapons, but also more powerful ones as well. Yet while the United States... Continue Reading →
The Kremlin Shows New Vulnerabilities
Become a Patron! Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. The Kremlin Shows New Vulnerabilities The annexation of Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine threatens to escalate the war in unexpected ways. Russia has repeatedly emphasized any attacks on its territories amount to some kind of red line. They have even signaled a possible nuclear response. Former... Continue Reading →