Category: Military

Having It Both Ways: Russians Both Support and Oppose War

Headlines, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
European Portion of Commonwealth of Independent States

(Kennan Institute – wilsoncenter.org/program/kennan-institute – Kirill Rogov – Political Analyst, Liberal Mission Foundation – March 17, 2023) Realistic assessments of scenarios for the Russo-Ukrainian war increasingly agree that neither side is likely to achieve a clear military victory. Two variables will determine the overall balance of power: the balance of forces on the battlefield and the ability of each side […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “We’re One Step Closer to Putin’s Crimea Nightmare” – The Daily Beast

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Senior U.S. officials privately harbor concerns but Western leaders have started warming to the idea that Ukraine should kick Russia out of Crimea, despite the nuclear threats.” “… Western leaders have started warming to the idea that Ukraine can take back Crimea in spite of Russian nuclear threats, Tamila Tasheva, the Ukrainian government official in charge of Crimea, told The […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “How to Prepare for Peace Talks in Ukraine; Ending a War Requires Thinking Ahead” – Foreign Affairs/ Thomas R. Pickering

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United Nations, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… [T]he time will come for negotiations, and it is essential that the United States plans carefully for that day. … Although the contours of any deal would be determined in large part by leverage, reciprocity, negotiating skill, and quid pro quos, there are some basic principles that could help facilitate a fair and lasting agreement. … [Negotiations] … should […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Rename Russia? Zelenskyy wants to look into it; Change enemy’s name to ‘Muscovy,’ petition demands” – Politico.eu

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
European Portion of Commonwealth of Independent States

“Ukrainians would like to rename Russia — and … Zelenskyy is interested …. A petition has … urg[ed] the Ukrainian government to officially change Russia’s name to ‘Muscovy,’ a term … originat[ing] in the 13th century … referr[ing] to large swathes of modern-day northwestern Russia. The move is part of a Ukrainian push to diminish what the Russians claim as […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia’s next civil war has already begun” – The Telegraph (UK)/ Richard Kemp

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

“Factions in the military establishment are vying for position, at the expense of Putin’s invasion effort.” “One of the bloodiest battles in modern European history …. may also be the site of an extraordinary Russian civil war, playing out on Ukrainian soil between different factions. … the Wagner Group and the Russian ministry of defence. … [a] confrontation … eight […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine’s allies are set to discuss the dwindling ammunition supply” – New York Times

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File photo of 88mm howitzers and troops in field, with shell in mid-flight, adapted from image at defense.gov

“… The pace at which both sides have burned through ammunition has run up against global production capacity and export controls that restrict arms sold to one country from being transferred to another. Kyiv’s need for artillery has become more acute as it doubles down on fighting in Bakhmut, where it has signaled its willingness to tolerate heavy losses in […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Dispatch From Kyiv: Ballet in a Time of War” – The Nation/ Carol Schaeffer

Headlines, Human Rights, JRL NewsBlog, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of Ukraine National Opera House in Kyiv, adapted from image at cia.gov

“While Ukraine’s capital has mostly returned to normal, reminders of the brutal fighting are everywhere.” “We sat in red velvet seats under the Kyiv opera house’s soaring dome … with baroque flourishes of black and gold … wait[ing] for a ballet adaptation of one of Ukraine’s most celebrated literary works …. [On] the eve of the first anniversary of the […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

VIDEO: JRL NEWSWATCH: “Republican 2024 hopefuls respond to Tucker Carlson’s questions about their stance on Russia-Ukraine war” – Fox

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of White House with South Lawn and Fountain

“Trump, Pence, DeSantis, Noem address questions on how the U.S. should respond to the ongoing conflict” “… Is opposing Russia in Ukraine a vital American national strategic interest? What … is our objective in Ukraine, and how will we know when we’ve achieved it? What is the limit of funding and materiel you would be willing to send … Ukraine? […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

Russia Analytical Report, March 6-13, 2023 – 4 Ideas to Explore

Aviation, Drones, China, Cybersecurity, Headlines, Military, Nuclear Energy, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Sanctions, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Red Square, Kremlin, Environs, adapted from image at state.gov

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) Vladimir Putin’s conviction that the U.S. somehow encouraged North Caucasus-based terrorist groups prior to one such group’s deadly hostage-taking raid in Beslan in 2004 played a major role in his turn away from the West, according to David Ignatius’ analysis of a new book, “Hand-Off: The Foreign Policy George W. Bush Passed to Barack Obama.” “We […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

Russia in Review, March 3-10, 2023 – 7 Things to Know

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Headlines, Military, Oil, Gas, Energy, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Red Square, Kremlin, Environs, adapted from image at state.gov

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) Russia has carried out one of its largest strikes on Ukraine, with 81 missiles and 8 drones fired at 10 of Ukraine’s 27 regions on March 9. Among the missiles that were reportedly fired were 28 Kh-101 and Kh-555 air-launched cruise missiles, 20 Kalibr sea-launched cruise missiles, 13 S-300 surface-to-air missiles, eight Kh-31P, six Kh-59 guided […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin is running out of time to win the ammunition war against the West” – The Telegraph (UK)

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File photo of 88mm howitzers and troops in field, with shell in mid-flight, adapted from image at defense.gov

“Russia’s feeble economy cannot compete with Western production.” “As the war in Ukraine grinds on, discussion over Western assistance to the Ukrainians has focused on sophisticated weapons: missiles, battle tanks, precision munitions, and combined air operations – aka ‘fighter jets.’ [Yet] the key issue … now is supplies of ordinary dumb artillery shells. … One should … note that Russia […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “For China, arming Russia would be folly” – Washington Post

Arms Trade, Military Aid, China, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Sanctions, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Beijing Temple, adapted from image at lbl.gov

“Chinese leader Xi Jinping is considering sending lethal aid to Moscow’s forces in Ukraine. That would be a profound mistake.” “… Until now, China has wisely kept its distance, paying lip service to its partnership with Russia while mostly adhering to Western sanctions. … Despite requests for weaponry … China has so far sent only nonlethal aid, such as helmets […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “The Economist explains: Who blew up the Nord Stream pipelines? Lots of blame, no hard evidence” – The Economist

Germany, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Spies, Spy Allegations, Terrorism, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Gas Flame file photo

“Last September, when explosions damaged Nord Stream 1 and 2 … evidence of a culprit was scant. Some European governments suspected Russia. … Putin had been threatening to cut off energy supplies to Europe in retaliation for sanctions …. Russia … blamed America and Britain. Six months later American intelligence officials … [and] German and British news organisations[] have suggested […]

» Read more
Leave a comment , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin thinks he can win in Ukraine because it matters more to him than to the U.S., says CIA chief” – NBC

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
European Portion of Commonwealth of Independent States

“‘I think he’s doubling down,’ said William Burns. ‘I believe he’s convinced that he can make time work for him.’” “… Putin is betting that Russian forces can prevail in Ukraine through a grinding war of attrition and believes ‘Ukraine matters more to him than us,’ [said] CIA Director William Burns …. Despite morale and other problems facing Russian forces […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia can fight in Ukraine for two more years at current intensity, Lithuania says” – Reuters

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Lithuania, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“‘The resources … Russia has … would be enough to continue the war at the present intensity for two years,’ Lithuania’s intelligence chief Elegijus Paulavicius [said] …. ‘How long Russia is be able to wage the war will also depend on the support for Russia’s military from states such as Iran and North Korea’ … Paulavicius was introducing a national […]

» Read more
Leave a comment , , , , , ,

JRL NEWSWATCH: “U.S. Sees Russia Reducing Goals in Ukraine, Deepening China Ties” – Bloomberg

China, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Spies, Spy Allegations, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
U.S. Capitol in Bright Sunlight

“China’s intent cited in annual assessment of worldwide threats ‘Growing pessimism’ in Beijing is cited by intelligence chief” “Russia is likely to downgrade its ambitions in Ukraine for the time being to hanging onto territory seized after the start of its invasion, even as it enjoys deepening economic and defense support from China, U.S. intelligence chiefs told a Senate committee. […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia Lacks Firepower to Keep Advancing, U.S. Intelligence Chief Says” – New York Times

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Spies, Spy Allegations, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“While both Ukrainians and Russians say the pitched battle for the city of Bakhmut could determine whether Russia can pursue more of an offensive, Western officials are skeptical.” “Even as Ukrainian and Russian leaders predicted that the fall of Bakhmut could open the way for a broader Russian offensive, the U.S. intelligence chief said Wednesday that the Kremlin’s forces were […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

Excerpt from the “Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community”

China, Cybersecurity, Headlines, Military, NATO, Spies, Spy Allegations, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Red Square, Kremlin, Environs, adapted from image at state.gov

[click here for PDF of entire Annual Threat Assessment, declassified version] [excerpt on Russia follows]   Russia REGIONAL AND GLOBAL OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine is a tectonic event that is reshaping Russia’s relationships with the West and China, and more broadly in ways that are unfolding and remain highly uncertain. Escalation of the conflict […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Moscow’s Slow, Bloody March to Defeat” – Newsweek

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“U.S. intelligence believes … Russia will ultimately lose … in Ukraine due to … poor battlefield performance, rigid command structure and heavy losses. Even if Russian troops capture Bakhmut … it [reportedly] would not be a victory and does not show any improvement in their military effectiveness …. Moscow has managed to move its army just 43 miles in seven […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia’s Halfway to Hell Strategy; Why Putin Has Not Yet Launched a Total War in Ukraine” – Foreign Affairs/ Andrei Soldatov, Irina Borogan

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Kremlin and River

“… Often, the Kremlin has initially appeared to take a maximalist course. Instead of invading eastern Ukraine, it launched a full-scale assault on the whole country and tried to take Kyiv. In addition to deploying tanks, missiles, and heavy artillery, Putin has repeatedly made threats about using nuclear weapons. And he has seemingly been willing to sacrifice tens of thousands […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

Russia Analytical Report, Feb. 27-March 6, 2023 – 4 Ideas to Explore

Baltics, Belarus, China, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Estonia, Georgia, Headlines, Military, NATO, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Sanctions, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of Red Square, Kremlin, Environs, adapted from image at state.gov

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) U.S. public’s support for aiding Ukraine is decreasing as Americans’ war weariness increases with time, according to veteran journalist Peter Baker’s news analysis in NYT. Overall, support has fallen from 60% last May to 48% now, according to AP/NORC surveys. The decline is more pronounced among Republican respondents, which shows in statements  by GOP presidential contenders. […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia’s Wagner Troops Exhaust Ukrainian Forces in Bakhmut; Deadly fight against the penal battalions threatens Kyiv’s ability to mount spring offensive” – WSJ

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… Wagner … now relies mostly on convicts recruited in Russian prisons …. With their policy of executing on the spot troopers who attempt to retreat or surrender, and a disregard for losses … shocking for modern warfare, Wagner’s disposable penal battalions have emerged as a unique threat to Ukrainian defenders … [while] the regular Russian military remains largely stalled. […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia’s population nightmare is going to get even worse; War in Ukraine has aggravated a crisis that long predates the conflict” – The Economist

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Population Disaster, Demographics
Map of Russia and Russian Flag adapted from images at state.gov

“A demographic tragedy is unfolding in Russia. Over the past three years the country has lost around 2m more people than it would ordinarily have done, as a result of war, disease and exodus. The life expectancy of Russian males aged 15 fell by almost five years, to the same level as in Haiti. The number of Russians born in […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine Under Pressure to Launch Counteroffensive That Will Appease NATO” – Newsweek

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… As Kyiv estimates that nearly 150,000 Russian soldiers have died since the war’s inception, Ukrainian forces may ‘strategically pull back’ from Bakhmut to avoid additional casualties of their own in what has become one of the bloodiest battles since July. … NATO officials expressed concern … that stockpiles could quickly diminish if the West doesn’t expand its industrial repertoire, […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Time Is on Russia’s Side, Not Ukraine’s; The U.S. and its allies need to act at the speed of war as they deliver arms to Kyiv.” – WSJ

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… Putin isn’t indifferent to public opinion, [but] he isn’t constrained by it to the extent that leaders of democracies are. He is putting his economy on a wartime footing, which will increase the production of artillery and ammunition …. After a faltering start, he has … double[d] … Russian [forces] in Ukraine … to sustain … assaults on Ukrainian […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia will be out of ‘military tools’ by spring, Ukraine’s top military spy says” – USA Today

China, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov’s forecast comes amid considerable uncertainty about what the next phase of the war will look like …. For weeks, Ukrainian officials had signaled that Russia was planning a major new offensive …. [which] has yet to materialize. ‘Russia has wasted huge amounts of human resources, armaments and materials. Its economy and production are not able […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russian envoy says nuclear powers may clash over Ukraine” – AP

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Russian Mobile ICBM Parade File Photo

“… Speaking at the U.N. conference on disarmament, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov denounced the U.S. and its allies for openly declaring the goal of defeating Russia in a ‘hybrid’ war …. Ryabkov warned that ‘the U.S. and NATO policy of fueling the conflict in Ukraine’ and their ‘increasing involvement in the military confrontation is fraught with a direct […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukrainians are begging for cluster munitions to stop the Russians” – Washington Post

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, Human Rights, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Image of DCIPM artillery shell artist's rendition, adapted from image at army.mil

“… [T]here’s a weapon that could do a great deal to help Kyiv stave off future attacks [] and … be provided in large amounts at short notice: cluster munitions. … a controversial move with real risks. … More than 100 countries have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions … ban[ning] … stockpiling or use. The weapons … consist of […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

Russia Analytical Report, Feb. 21-27, 2023 – 5 Ideas to Explore

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Headlines, Military, Oil, Gas, Energy, Sanctions, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Red Square, Kremlin, Environs, adapted from image at state.gov

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) Assessing the first year of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Graham Allison and Stephen Kotkin underline the brute fact: Ukraine is not winning. The war has become a colossal strategic failure for Putin, but Russia does control almost one-fifth of Ukraine, Harvard’s Allison writes in his analysis of the Russia-Ukraine War Report Card, which was produced by the […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “A total Russian collapse is surprisingly close; Ukraine can retake Crimea and bring about the total implosion of Putin’s forces, but only with our support” –  The Telegraph (UK)

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… Kyiv is openly preparing its own major thrust against Russian ground forces in the spring. … to ‘drive a wedge’ between Crimea and … Russia[] …. [According to Ukraine’s deputy military intelligence chief,] [t]he Ukrainians are determined to … ‘liberate all occupied territories – including Crimea.’ … General Ben Hodges, former commander of U.S. forces in Europe, has devised […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

What Led to Putin’s Blunder in Ukraine?

Headlines, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Simon Saradzhyan – Feb. 24, 2023) Simon Saradzhyan is the founding director of Russia Matters. This day one year ago, Vladimir Putin unveiled what is likely to become the most consequential decision of his time at Russia’s helm: the launch of the “special military operation” in Ukraine. This paper seeks to ascertain which of the […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

Russia in Review, Feb. 17-24, 2023 – 5 Things to Know

China, Cybersecurity, Headlines, Military, NATO, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Oil, Gas, Energy, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of Red Square, Kremlin, Environs, adapted from image at state.gov

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) China’s “peace plan” for Ukraine, vague on how peace can be attained, sends clear signals that Beijing’s support for Moscow is neither univocal nor limitless. The very first of the plan’s 12 points declares, in a clear acknowledgement of the Ukrainian state’s fundamental rights, that the “sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries must be […]

» Read more
Leave a comment , , , , , , , , ,

JRL NEWSWATCH: “One Year Ago, Russia Invaded Ukraine” – The Nation/ Katrina vanden Heuvel

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Any chance for peace — for even a ceasefire — will demand a dramatic intercession by countries not enmeshed in the conflict.” “On February 24, one year will have passed since the Russians invaded Ukraine. With the conflict settling into a grinding war of attrition, both sides have marked the anniversary with an escalation of both rhetoric and armaments. Any […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

VIDEO: JRL NEWSWATCH: “CIA director William Burns on ‘Face the Nation,’ Feb. 26, 2023” – CBS

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations, Videos
William Burns file photo, adapted from image at cia.gov

“MARGARET BRENNAN: You’ve got the whole world to watch right now, so I know you’re a busy man. I want to start on Ukraine and Russia with this anniversary. On the cusp of Russia’s invasion, you flew to Kyiv and you told President Zelenskyy, tell me if this is right, the Russians are coming to kill you. Was that the […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Why the War Will Continue: One year in, the war in Ukraine shows no sign of ending.” – Council on Foreign Relations/ Richard Haass

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… Putin’s calculation that the benefits of invading would dwarf the costs became a formula for disaster. Putin now finds himself playing for time. Unable to defeat Ukraine’s military, he is attacking economic and civilian targets, hoping to break the will of Ukrainians. … [and perhaps hoping that] European governments … [and] the U.S.[] rethink the costs of supporting Ukraine. […]

» Read more
Leave a comment , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine Marks Successes, Mourns Losses as War Enters Second Year” – WSJ

Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Zelensky pledges to pursue victory against Russia this year as Western weapons flow to Ukraine.” “… Ukraine has lost tens of thousands of civilians and soldiers … and many of its cities have been reduced to rubble …. Russia … [reportedly] has suffered some 200,000 military casualties in Ukraine .. [and] currently controls just under 18% of Ukrainian territory, including […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “How to End Putin’s Forever War: An armistice like the one that ended fighting in the Korean War is a viable alternative to stalemate and attrition in Ukraine” – The Nation

Headlines, History, Soviet Union, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… Last fall, [Joint Chiefs Chairman] Gen. Mark Milley … estimated … both Russia and Ukraine have lost roughly 100,000 soldiers, with an additional 40,000 civilians killed. …. Putin, a vicious autocrat, will not be deterred by further bloodshed. … [additionally] replenish[ing] … soldiers lost in the war by enlisting mercenaries through the Wagner Group, a private military with close […]

» Read more
Leave a comment , , , , , , , ,

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin frames war as protecting Russia’s existence. Are Russians buying it?” – Christian Science Monitor/ Fred Weir

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Russia & the West, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Vladimir Putin file photo, adapted from screenshot of video at shareamerica.gov

“Vladimir Putin is framing the war in Ukraine as critical to Russia’s existence. But while the Russian public is still behind the war, they seem to be increasingly eager for peace talks to begin.” “… [M]any of the original rationales for the attack put forward by the Kremlin, such as ‘de-Nazification,’ are no longer even mentioned. Instead, the key appeal […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “The Quiescent Russians: What the War in Ukraine Has Revealed About Putin’s Public” – Foreign Affairs/ Joshua Yaffa

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Aerial View of Kremlin and Environs

“… From its outset, the system built by … Putin was based on the idea of a disengaged public, with matters of political and civic concern left to those on high. Even as the space for independent political and civic action shrank to near zero and real living standards declined, most Russians saw little reason to participate in collective action: […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

Domestic Politics Encourage Continued War of Attrition in Ukraine in 2023

Headlines, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Thomas Graham – Feb. 22, 2023) Thomas Graham is a distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.Last February, few observers thought we would be approaching the first anniversary of Russia’s war against Ukraine with brutal battles raging along a front stretching from Kharkiv in the northeast to Kherson in the south. Russian troops were […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Here’s How Ukraine Could Retake Crimea” – Politico

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“As policymakers debate the future of the Black Sea peninsula, more are coming around to the view that ending the Russian occupation is possible.” “Just over a year ago, most western commentators and policymakers had effectively written off Ukraine ever regaining control of Crimea … invaded and annexed [by Russia] in … 2014. … [even as] it was still officially […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia’s cult of death” – The Hill/ Alexander J. Motyl

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Kremlin and River

“… Why this obsession with war and death? … [T]he Russian army has suffered at least 200,000 dead and wounded, according to Western estimates, and over 140,000 dead alone, according to the Ukrainian General Staff’s estimates. (The two numbers aren’t necessarily incompatible, as there are numerous reports of Russian soldiers leaving their wounded comrades on the battlefield to die. …) […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Isolated, out of touch, but clinging on: how Russians see Putin” – The Sunday Times (UK)

Headlines, Human Rights, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Vladimir Putin file photo, adapted from screenshot of video at shareamerica.gov

“A year on from the disastrous invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin could be just one crisis away from collapse.” “… Putin is notorious for asking Russian historians how he will be judged a hundred years hence. With his invasion of Ukraine, he has ensured that he will be assessed a failure, an example of the way hubris can devour any […]

» Read more
Leave a comment , , , , , , , ,

JRL NEWSWATCH: “How the War in Ukraine Ends; An eminent historian envisions a settlement among Russia, Ukraine, and the West. [Stephen Kotkin]” – The New Yorker

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… In Ukraine, what is it that he’s gained? … [H]e’s hurt Russia’s reputation — it’s far worse than it ever was. He consolidated the Ukrainian nation, whose existence he denied. He is expanding NATO, when his stated aim was to push NATO back from the expansion undertaken since 1997. He’s even got Sweden applying for NATO membership. And, so, […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

VIDEOS: JRL NEWSWATCH: “Transcript of ‘Face the Nation’ on Feb. 19, 2023 [including excerpts re: Russia with Antony Blinken, Fiona Hill, and John Sullivan]” – CBS

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations, Videos
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… SECRETARY ANTONY BLINKEN: … You’re right that 90 — 97 percent or so of their ground forces have been engaged in this war, which is extraordinary. And the losses to date have been horrific. Public figures suggest 200,000 casualties. … a combination of … killed and … wounded. The destruction of their war machine itself, the tanks, the armored […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

Report: Ukraine Shot Down Balloons Over Kyiv Last Week

Headlines, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

(Voice of America – voanews.com – Feb. 19, 2023) Ukraine shot down at least six balloons over Kyiv on Wednesday, according to the British Defense Ministry’s daily intelligence update on Ukraine posted on Twitter. The report said the Ukrainian armed forces spotted the balloons with radar reflectors suspended from them over Kyiv. On Feb. 12, Ukraine’s air force said it […]

» Read more
Leave a comment , , , , , , ,

RUSSIALINK: “Putin Vows to Continue Fighting in Wartime State-of-the-Nation Address” – Moscow Times

Headlines, Military, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
European Portion of Commonwealth of Independent States

(Moscow Times – Nurbek Savitahunov, Samantha Berkhead, Pyotr Kozlov – Feb. 21, 2023) President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday vowed to press onward with Russia’s war in Ukraine and railed against the West for a litany of wrongdoings in his first state-of-the-nation address since invading Ukraine one year ago. Addressing lawmakers from both houses of parliament alongside other members of the […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

RUSSIALINK: “Navalny Sets Out 15-Point Plan for Russia’s Postwar Development” – Moscow Times

Headlines, Military, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
File Photo of Alexei Navalny Marching on Street with Others in Background; adapted from image at commons.wikimedia.org with credit to Evgeny Feldman, subject to Creative Commons license; original image at commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FEV_1795_(cropped1).jpg, with license information at creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en and creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode

(Moscow Times – Feb. 20, 2023) Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny published a 15-point plan outlining his view of Russia’s future in the postwar era on Monday, predicting Russia’s “military defeat” and outlining his plans to transform Russia into a parliamentary republic. Entitled “15 theses of a Russian citizen who desires the best for their country,” Navalny’s Twitter thread was […]

» Read more
Leave a comment

JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine Has Held Off Russia’s Invasion — So Far. Here’s How” – Council on Foreign Relations/ Thomas Graham

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Ukraine has withstood and repelled the mighty Russian military through Western support, Russian blundering, and its own resourcefulness. However, the circumstances could be changing. … Commander Zelenskyy: Zelenskyy personified the grit. His unvarnished nightly addresses from Kyiv turned him into a charismatic wartime leader …. [I]mpassioned speeches to foreign audiences kept Ukraine in the world’s eye and persuaded Western leaders […]

» Read more
Leave a comment , , , , , , ,

Russia in Review, Feb. 10-17, 2023 – 4 Things to Know

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Headlines, Military, Oil, Gas, Energy, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Red Square, Kremlin, Environs, adapted from image at state.gov

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) U.S. officials are telling Ukrainian leaders that they are facing a critical moment to change the trajectory of the war, raising the pressure on Kyiv to make significant gains on the battlefield while aid from the West is flowing, WP reported. “We can’t do anything and everything forever,” one senior administration official said, warning that it will […]

» Read more
Leave a comment
1 … 10 11 12 13 14 … 49