JRL NEWSWATCH: “Moscow plans its own mini-Olympics. Will Russians be satisfied?” – Christian Science Monitor

Olympic Rings Lit at Night, adapted from image at state.gov

“As the West has isolated Russia, Moscow has worked fervently to create alternatives to global commodities. But when it comes to Olympic-level athletic competitions, the Kremlin’s proxies may not pass muster with the Russian public.” “… In September, just a month after the 2024 Paris Olympics, Russia will launch the World Friendship Games, a Soviet-inspired extravaganza that looks like a […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “The Big Lesson From the West’s Last Invasion of Russia” – Foreign Policy: Theodore Bunzel

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“What the Allied intervention in the Russian civil war teaches us about Ukraine today.” “… Despite the current pall of pessimism pervading Western capitals, today’s war in Ukraine presents some of the more propitious circumstances a policymaker could hope for …. Ukraine is a worthy and competent ally, fighting to defend its territory with a highly motivated population …. The […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Mutual Frustrations Arise in U.S.-Ukraine Alliance” – New York Times

Pentagon Aerial View adapted from defense.gov image, with photo credit: DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. John Wright

“Ukrainian officials are disheartened about stalled aid. The Pentagon wants Kyiv to heed its advice on how to fight.” “… For the Pentagon, the exasperation comes down to a single, recurring issue: American military strategists … believe that Ukraine needs to concentrate its forces on one big fight at a time. Instead, … Zelensky, who has vowed to drive Russia […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia Is Burning Up Its Future” – Foreign Affairs

Vladimir Putin file photo, adapted from screenshot of video at shareamerica.gov

“How Putin’s Pursuit of Power Has Hollowed Out the Country and Its People” “… Russia is neither stable nor normal. The [Russian] presidential election brings to maturity the late-stage Putinism that began with the [2020] constitutional referendum … when Putin’s potential mandate was extended until 2036. … Putin has made clear that Russia is fighting a permanent background war with […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia’s opposition and Ukraine find it impossible to unite against Putin” – Washington Post

European Portion of Commonwealth of Independent States

“… Russia’s liberals … walk[] a tightrope. Their opposition to the war puts them at odds with much of their own society …. [M]any Ukrainians still feel … the Russian opposition has not gone far enough in condemning the killing of Ukrainians and occupation of their lands, instead opposing the war from a Russian viewpoint, focused predominantly on the losses […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Kremlin Seeks to Suppress Navalny’s Influence, in Death as in Life” – New York Times

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

“The Russian authorities vilified the opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny with a viciousness that suggested he was more influential than Moscow would admit. Little has changed since he died.” “When … Navalny was alive, the Kremlin sought to portray him as an inconsequential figure unworthy of attention, even as … Russian authorities vilified and attacked him with a viciousness that […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Europe is at last adjusting to the new reality in Ukraine” – Financial Times

Europe Map

“… This was going to be a long war that Russia would do everything to win, and the west was not ready. This reality has now been sinking in, exposing new tensions among western leaders about how to confront it. … Hampered by an excruciating shortage of ammunition and artillery that its allies were too slow to provide, Ukraine’s troops […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine Enters New Phase of War With Russia: Dig, Dig, Dig” – WSJ

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Under pressure after recent battlefield losses, Kyiv is bracing for a Russian spring offensive” “Russia is attacking Ukrainian forces at several points along the 600-mile front …. Moscow knows Ukrainian units are short on fresh soldiers and ammunition. The U.S. and Europe are failing to rearm Kyiv quickly. … Ukraine’s military … is husbanding its ammunition and seeking opportunities to […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Free Boris Kagarlitsky: The Nation joins the global appeal for his release” – The Nation: Katrina Vanden Heuvel

Lit Candle with Reflection and Dark Background

“… [O]n February 13, a military court sentenced Boris Kagarlitsky, prominent sociologist, Marxist scholar and labor activist, to five years in prison for criticizing the war in Ukraine … after a Moscow court initially ordered him to only pay a $6,500 fine for ‘justifying terrorism,’ charges which Kagarlitsky denied. Prosecutors appealed … calling [the initial judgment] ‘excessively lenient.’ Kagarlitsky, … […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “America’s New Twilight Struggle With Russia; To Prevail, Washington Must Revive Containment” – Foreign Affairs: Max Bergmann, Michael Kimmage, Jeffrey Mankoff, Maria Snegovaya

File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

“… [C]containment should prioritize defending Russia’s threatened neighbors, especially those that do not have a clear and immediate path to NATO membership. Apart from Ukraine, Russia’s most vulnerable neighbors include [non-NATO] Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova …. The United States should offer … training and weapons … [and] bolster [their] resilience against Russian gray-zone threats, ranging from cyberattacks to election meddling. […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Don’t seize: capitalise; How to put Russia’s frozen assets to work for Ukraine; Exploit them to the full, but legally” – The Economist

EU Map adapted from cia.gov image

“… About €190bn of [Russian] assets are controlled in Belgium by Euroclear, a custodian. … [I]nvestment returns and principal repayments it would pass on to Russia are instead piling up as a cash balance … currently … around €132bn … which Euroclear’s bank can profitably invest. The argument that Russia has no right to these returns is relatively uncontroversial, not […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Sending troops to Ukraine: A necessary but badly presented debate” – Le Monde

Macron file photo, adapted from image at usembassy.gov

“The subject of French involvement on Ukrainian soil, raised by Emmanuel Macron on Monday [Feb. 26], deserves to be considered, but only in consultation with the other nations concerned. Going it alone is not an option.” “… Macron’s remarks on Monday, February 26, concerning the possibility of sending military personnel to support the Ukrainian forces in their war effort … […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine’s losses on the battlefield could make the war more dangerous for Russia” – CNBC

Map of Commonwealth of Independent States, European Portion

“Russia’s advantage on the battlefield could prompt Ukraine’s backers to give it more of what it wants, and needs, to win the war. Defense analysts call this irony of conflict the ‘escalation paradox.’ French President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial comments on the possibility of NATO ground troops in Ukraine demonstrated this paradox.” “… With Ukraine now on the back foot, analysts […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Surprisingly Weak Ukrainian Defenses Help Russian Advance” – New York Times

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… Sparse, rudimentary trench lines [reportedly] populate the area west of Avdiivka that Ukraine is trying to defend …. lack[ing] many of the additional fortifications that could help slow Russian tanks and help defend major roads and important terrain. … Ukraine appeared to have begun plans for new fortifications only three months ago, when government officials announced the creation of […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Zelensky in bind over how to draft more troops as Russian forces advance” – Washington Post

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Even as he promises … that Ukraine will handle the fighting if given needed weapons and other support, … Zelensky and … top military commanders have failed … to come up with a clear plan to conscript or recruit many thousands of new soldiers … to defend against Russia’s continuing attacks. Zelensky’s inability to forge a political consensus on … […]

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Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken: “On the Retirement of Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland”

File Photo of Victoria Nuland and U.S. Flag, adapted from image featured at usembassy.gov

(U.S. Department of State – March 5 2024) On the Retirement of Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland PRESS STATEMENT ANTONY J. BLINKEN, SECRETARY OF STATE Victoria Nuland has let me know that she intends to step down in the coming weeks as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs – a role in which she has […]

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Russia Analytical Report, Feb. 26-March 4, 2024

File Photo of Red Square, Kremlin, Environs, adapted from image at state.gov

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) 3 Ideas to Explore “Russia’s ability to absorb military losses, its deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure and the limitations of its conventionally armed land-attack missile arsenal provides” at least two “potential insights into Russia’s theatre nuclear doctrine,” according to William Alberque of IISS. “Firstly, given Russia’s indifference to civilian casualties in Ukraine, it stands to reason that […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “The West Can No Longer Hesitate on Ukraine” – Foreign Policy: Alexander Vershbow

NATO Meeting File Photo

“Allies must provide Kyiv with what it needs to win the war and secure the peace: arms supplies and a path to NATO membership.” “… [T]he West … need[s] … a clearer strategy for achieving victory and stopping … Putin from overturning the rules-based international order. … [H]esitation and incrementalism in providing Ukraine with the military capabilities … it needs […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Two Years After Russia Invaded Ukraine: Q&A with RAND Experts” – RAND

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… The … conflict has brought renewed focus on the regional threat posed by Russian revanchism and presents challenges to security and stability … in the region and elsewhere. The geopolitical implications are immense. The conflict has established new benchmarks … [for] modern warfare and demonstrated anew … how dangerous the world is. We invited a group of RAND experts […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine Braced for Russian Disinformation Attacks on Zelenskiy” – Bloomberg

File Image of Laptop Computer, Tables and Mobile Device, adapted from image at energy.gov

“Kremlin campaign to focus on legitimacy as vote scrapped Ukrainian leader sensitive over issue as war footing shifts” “… With … Ukrainian territory under Russian occupation, millions … having fled … and [Ukraine’s] infrastructure battered … martial law has imposed restrictions on elections. Zelenskiy … would otherwise be campaigning for a vote held at the end of March if he […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin’s Six-Year Manifesto Sets Sights Beyond Ukraine” – Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Vladimir Putin file photo, adapted from screenshot of video at shareamerica.gov

“Putin’s state of the nation address should have been a mere pre-election formality, but it left an extremely chilling impression of an unraveling spiral of escalation.” “… The horizons of this ‘holy war’ have now expanded. If a year ago, Putin focused on protecting ‘our land’ and relied on defensive and even sacrificial rhetoric, this year he sounded victorious, speaking […]

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Russia in Review, Feb. 23-March 1, 2024

File Photo of Red Square, Kremlin, Environs, adapted from image at state.gov

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org) 7 Things to Know Vladimir Putin used his annual address to the Russian parliament to not only rattle his nuclear saber at the West again, but also to accuse his Western counterparts of “spooking the world” with the threat of a nuclear war, all while claiming to be ready for talks on nuclear arms control. “We remember what […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia’s resilience to sanctions shows it is ‘costly and unattainable’ to isolate a large and globally integrated economy, economist says” – Business Insider

Diverse Paper Currency, Coins, Line Graph

“Russia’s economy remains resilient against Western sanctions. Economist Elina Ribakova wrote about the limitations of trying to isolate a globally integrated economy like Russia. The West’s experience sanctioning Russia could help in crafting potential future trade restrictions against China.” “Despite sweeping … sanctions over … Ukraine, Russia posted … GDP growth of 3.6% in 2023 after contracting 1.2% in 2022. […]

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The War in Ukraine in a Transitional World Order

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

(Russia Matters – russiamatters.org – Robert Legvold – Feb. 23, 2024) Robert Legvold is Marshall D. Shulman Professor Emeritus in the department of political science at Columbia University. The fundamental questions raised by the war in Ukraine are like the two sides of a coin: on one side, there is the overarching but largely ignored question of how the war […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine Sees Risk of Russia Breaking Through Defenses by Summer” – Bloomberg

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Kyiv’s assessment of battlefield situation increasingly bleak Putin still aims to capture Kyiv, Ukrainian intelligence shows” “Ukrainian officials [reportedly] are concerned that Russian advances could gain significant momentum by … summer unless their allies can increase the supply of ammunition …. Internal assessments … from Kyiv are growing increasingly bleak as Ukrainian forces struggle to hold off Russian attacks while […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Leaked Russian military files reveal criteria for nuclear strike” – Financial Times

Russian Tactical Missile on Mobile Launcher, adapted from image featured by army.mil and defense.gov

“Doctrine for tactical nuclear weapons outlined in training scenarios for an invasion by China” “… Putin’s forces have rehearsed using tactical nuclear weapons at an early stage of conflict with a major world power, according to leaked Russian military files that include training scenarios for an invasion by China. The [29 secret Russian military files from 2008 to 2014] … […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine’s Frontline Is Collapsing” – Newsweek

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… [A]fter Ukraine’s retreat from [Avdiivka] … partly blamed on ammunition shortages … Moscow’s advances … have been incremental and are unlikely to be rapid in the short-term but hold-ups in Western aid for Kyiv threaten to hand … Putin the initiative. … Russian forces [reportedly] are exploiting tactical opportunities opened up by Avdiivka’s seizure … trying to push as […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “The Spy War: How the C.I.A. Secretly Helps Ukraine Fight Putin” – New York Times

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“For more than a decade, the United States has nurtured a secret intelligence partnership with Ukraine that is now critical for both countries in countering Russia.” “… [T]he intelligence partnership between Washington and Kyiv is a linchpin of Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. The C.I.A. and other … [U.S.] agencies provide intelligence for targeted missile strikes, track Russian troop movements […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Navalny’s Funeral to Be Held on Friday, Spokeswoman Says” – New York Times

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

“The service for the Russian opposition leader will be open to the public, but it was unclear whether the authorities will try to stop people from attending.” “… The planned service, at a church on Moscow’s outskirts, sets up the possibility of a rare display of opposition sentiment in the Russian capital … [] Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, advised anyone […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Kremlin propagandists attack director of new ‘Master and Margarita’ film captivating Russians” – The Telegraph (UK)

File Photo of Reel of Film

“Adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s anti-totalitarian Soviet novel wins rave reviews but pro-Russia activists want Michael Lockshin probed” “A new film adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s anti-totalitarian Soviet novel Master and Margarita is winning rave reviews in Russia but irritating the Kremlin and its supporters. Colleagues of Michael Lockshin, the American-Russian director of the Russian-language film, have … accused Kremlin trolls of […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “In Ukraine, Russia Is Inching Forward Death by Death” – New York Times:

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Russian forces have an unorthodox view of acceptable levels of military losses, with a willingness to expend troops and equipment to make even small gains on the battlefield.” “… Hundreds of thousands of … Ukrainian and Russian soldiers have been wounded or killed since [2022] … including tens of thousands last year in the battle for … Bakhmut. … Avdiivka […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Two Years On, What’s Next in Ukraine? Eight thinkers shed light on the state of the war” – Foreign Policy

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“As Russia’s war in Ukraine enters its third year, the apparent impasse on the battlefield masks decisive shifts. The war’s main front is now political, with … Putin betting that divisions and hesitations in the West will hand him the victory he has failed to achieve on the ground. Worried about the consequences for their continent’s security if Washington disengages […]

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VIDEO: JRL NEWSWATCH: “Experts analyze state of Ukraine war 2 years into Russia’s invasion [Michael Kofman, John Mearsheimer and Rebeccah Heinrichs]” – PBS

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Saturday marks two years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With the conflict at a frozen and brutal stalemate, Nick Schifrin discussed where the war is, where it could go and U.S. policy toward Ukraine with Michael Kofman, John Mearsheimer and Rebeccah Heinrichs. …” Click here for: “Experts analyze state of Ukraine war 2 years into Russia’s invasion [Michael Kofman, […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Vladimir Putin, riding high before Navalny’s death, seems unstoppable” – Washington Post

Vladimir Putin file photo, adapted from screenshot of video at shareamerica.gov

“When prison authorities announced the death of … Navalny, … Putin’s most potent political opponent, the Russian president appeared to be overflowing with cheer. Addressing … workers and students at a machinery plant in the … industrial city of Chelyabinsk …, a smiling Putin, unsurprisingly, made no mention of Navalny’s death … and instead professed himself … satisfied at the […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “‘There’s only Plan A’: Defense leaders fear failure in Ukraine” – Politico

U.S. Capitol in Bright Sunlight

“Attendees of the Munich Security Conference were worried about Ukraine’s prospects against Russia and American commitment to Kyiv.” “… Ukraine is low on ammunition and infantry. …. Before … Zelenskyy changed leadership at the top of his country’s military, generals insisted the president had to mobilize 500,000 more troops to keep pace with a larger, still-stronger Russian force that appears […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Russia-Ukraine War: China’s Vanishing Neutrality” – The Diplomat

File Photo of Beijing Temple, adapted from image at lbl.gov

“Full Chinese logistical support for Russia could be the real game changer of the war – and that support is growing more important and less discreet.” “… [T]he United States continues to suspect China of selling arms to Russia …. [M]ilitary aid from China would represent a change of scale [compared with North Korea] … because of the stocks China […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Two years on, is Ukraine’s military faltering?” – The Economist

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“… My sense, based on recent conversations with Western military, defence and intelligence officials, is that a collapse of Ukrainian lines is unlikely. … Many of the sharpest observers of the war are concerned. … It would be unfair, however, to focus on Russian advances without mentioning a spectacular Ukrainian success. On February 23rd Ukraine said it had downed a […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Will the U.S. Abandon Ukraine?” – WSJ

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Two years after Russia’s invasion, America’s waning commitment is raising fears that Putin could win the war — and that Europe may be on its own in future conflicts.” “… Ukraine has proved a formidable foe, regaining half of the land initially occupied by Russia and inflicting staggering casualties on Russia’s much more powerful military. Europe, too, has absorbed the […]

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VIDEO: JRL NEWSWATCH: “Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland: The Two-Year Anniversary of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine” – CSIS

File Photo of Victoria Nuland Testifying

“Max Bergmann: … Two years on, a grinding conflict continues. … Ukraine and its European dream did not perish with Russia’s invasion … due to the bravery of Ukraine, but also the result of support from the United States and its European allies. … [W]ith the war now entering its third year, it is worth taking stock. … Ambassador Victoria […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Zelensky Says 31,000 Ukrainian Troops Killed in Two Years of War” – WSJ

U.S. Capitol in Bright Sunlight

“The Ukrainian leader highlighted the extent of the country’s sacrifices as it awaits a U.S. congressional vote on further military aid” “Around 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia launched its invasion two years ago … Zelensky said, highlighting the scale of Ukraine’s sacrifice ahead of a decisive vote in the U.S. Congress …. The admission … gives a […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “A War Putin Still Can’t Win” – Foreign Affairs

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“To Thwart Russia, America Needs a Long-Term Strategy — and Ukraine Needs Long-Range Weapons” “… [T]he brutal war has often defied expectations. … [W]hen Russian forces poured over the … border, Ukraine … mounted an effective resistance and quickly ended the siege on Kyiv. … [A]fter the war moved south and east, Ukraine again caught observers off guard with its […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine’s Deepening Fog of War” – New York Times

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian leaders are seeking a path forward in the face of ferocious assaults and daunting unknowns.” “… Even as he presses the case for more Western support … Zelensky is starting to take steps to improve some of the systemic problems under his control. … Kyiv has added several command headquarters to oversee brigades […]

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VIDEO: JRL NEWSWATCH: “Meet the Press [interview with Jake Sullivan]” – NBC

File Photo of Jake Sullivan Gesturing While Speaking Next to U.S. Flag, with White House Logo in Background

“… We just hit the two-year anniversary since this brutal invasion began. … [M]ost people on your show predicted … it’d be over in a week or two. Most people in the U.S. government predicted it would be over in a week or two. Two years later, the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, stands. The country stands proud and free, and […]

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VIDEO: JRL NEWSWATCH: “State Dept. official [Victoria Nuland]: If Putin wins Ukraine, tyrants ‘will get hungry’ with aspirations” – PBS

File Photo of Victoria Nuland Testifying

“The Biden administration unveiled a new set of sanctions against Russia to punish it further for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine … [and] the death of anti-corruption activist and politician Alexei Navalny. Geoff Bennett spoke with U.S. Undersecretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland ….” Click here for: “State Dept. official [Victoria Nuland]: If Putin wins Ukraine, tyrants ‘will get hungry’ […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin Has Already Lost” – New York Times

European Portion of Commonwealth of Independent States

“… If the fundamental purpose of [] Putin’s war was to keep Ukraine within Russia’s orbit — politically, culturally and economically — it has had the opposite effect. Ukraine’s leaders and citizens, particularly those from younger generations, have decided that their future lies with the West, not Russia [including in eastern Ukraine]. … [A]ny visitor to Ukraine’s eastern and southern […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “What the Pentagon has learned from two years of war in Ukraine” – Washington Post

Pentagon Aerial View adapted from defense.gov image, with photo credit: DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. John Wright

“With hundreds of thousands dead or wounded and still no end in sight, the conflict has revealed that U.S. battlefield calculations must evolve” “… The U.S. military is undertaking an expansive revision of its approach to war fighting, having largely abandoned the counterinsurgency playbook … [relevant to] combat in Iraq and Afghanistan to focus … on preparing for an even […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “U.S. Unveils Biggest Sanctions Package on Russia Since War Began” – Bloomberg

Portion of U.S. Treasury Department Building Facade, North Side, with Sculpture of Alexander Hamilton

“Drone maker, payment system are among targets of penalties Yellen says Russia’s economy showing ‘signs of weakness’” “U.S. holds off metals sanctions amid fears of economic chaos Russia’s economy still forecast to grow up to 1.5% in 2024″ “The U.S. unveiled its biggest one-day sanctions package against Russia since the [full-scale] invasion of Ukraine … targeting more than 500 people […]

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VIDEO: JRL NEWSWATCH: “Zelenskyy appeals to Trump, Congress to see ‘tragedy’ of Russia invasion in exclusive Bret Baier interview” – Fox

Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Volodymyr Zelenskyy says there have been at least 5 assassination attempts made against him” “Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an exclusive FOX News interview, appealed to President Biden and Republican front-runner Donald Trump to visit Ukraine and see for themselves at the front lines of ‘this tragedy.’ … Baier met with Zelenskyy near the front lines in Kharkiv, just a […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Leadership Change in Russia: Contingency Planning Memorandum” – Council on Foreign Relations: Liana Fix, Maria Snegovaya

File Photo of Kremlin Tower, St. Basil's, Red Square at Night

“Vladimir Putin’s grip on power in Russia does not appear as ironclad as it once did. Liana Fix and Maria Snegovaya recommend that the United States prepare for potential leadership change in Moscow and develop response strategies with its allies to mitigate fallout.” “… Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 … Putin looked set to stay in power […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Unpredictable Strongman? Two Years Into War, Putin Embraces the Image.” – New York Times

Vladimir Putin file photo, adapted from screenshot of video at shareamerica.gov

“Vladimir Putin is drawing on history to position himself in the realm of Russian rulers of the past. Critics say his grip on power is not as strong as it seems.” “… [T]he image of an unpredictable strongman ready to escalate his conflict with the West is one … Putin has fully embraced after two years of full-scale war. At […]

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