Category: Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War

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

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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: “Ukraine’s losses on the battlefield could make the war more dangerous for Russia” – CNBC

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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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Russia Analytical Report, Feb. 26-March 4, 2024

China, Cybersecurity, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Headlines, Iran, Military, NATO, North Korea, Nuclear, Missile Defense, 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) 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

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Europe, EU, Headlines, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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

Europe, EU, France, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

Armenia, Arms Trade, Military Aid, Azerbaijan, South Caucasus, Belarus, China, Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Cybersecurity, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, France, Georgia, Headlines, Human Rights, Military, NATO, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, North Korea, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Oil, Gas, Energy, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Sanctions, Syria, 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) 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

China, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, Headlines, Sanctions, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

China, Europe, EU, Headlines, Military, Nuclear, Missile Defense, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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: “Ukraine’s Frontline Is Collapsing” – Newsweek

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

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

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

Headlines, History, Soviet Union, Human Rights, Life in Russia, Culture, Arts, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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:

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Headlines, Human Rights, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

China, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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

Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

Arms Trade, Military Aid, 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

“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

Arms Trade, Military Aid, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations, Videos
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

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations, Videos
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

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Headlines, Human Rights, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations, Videos
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

Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
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: “U.S. Unveils Biggest Sanctions Package on Russia Since War Began” – Bloomberg

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Sanctions, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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

Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, NATO, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
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: “After two years of war, Russia finds itself frozen, but transformed” – Christian Science Monitor

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Kremlin and River

“Between Alexei Navalny’s death and the second anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, Russia is in a transitional moment. The public may be going along with the war, but the country is shrinking its already limited space for expression.” “… [A] deep transition in the economy, … political system, social relations, and public mood is clearly underway. The signs of […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Seizing Frozen Russian Assets Over Ukraine War Wins Endorsement of Legal Experts” – Bloomberg

Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Sanctions, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
File Photo of Assorted U.S. Cash, adapted from image at tsa.gov

Letter from scholars backing seizure is circulating in G-7 ‘It would be lawful, under international law,’ 10 experts say “A group of legal experts sought to bolster the case for seizing frozen Russian central bank assets, arguing that such actions are allowed under international law given the scale of Russia’s continuing attacks in Ukraine. … The letter … is co-signed […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “The Diplomatic Path to a Secure Ukraine” – Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft

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

“… Ukraine’s best hope lies in a negotiated settlement that protects its security, minimizes the risks of renewed attacks or escalation, and promotes broader stability in Europe and the world. No settlement will endure unless Ukraine, Russia, and the West all see it as sufficiently serving their interests and … preferable to continued war. … [W]e need not and should […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Does the West’s Ukraine policy need a reality check?” – Brookings

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

“… [T]he outlook appears bleak: both sides have sustained horrific losses, millions of Ukrainians remain displaced or in exile, and there is no plausible sign of an end to the violence. Western capitals are struggling to supply funds and ammunition to Kyiv … [T]he Kremlin seemingly draws on limitless supplies and political support from authoritarian allies and continues to pound […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Ukraine’s Military Spy Chief Says Russia Will Struggle to Keep Up the Fight” – WSJ

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

“Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov says Russians ’don’t have the strength’ to achieve goal of seizing two eastern regions this year” “… Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s military-intelligence chief, acknowledged the tough situation for Ukraine’s outnumbered and outgunned forces. But Russia also has problems, he said. Russia’s professional army was largely destroyed in the first year of the invasion, he said, […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Despair in Russia as Putin Spirals Out of Control” – Daily Beast

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

“Just this [past] week the Kremlin claimed it was at war with the United States and Putin’s No.1 enemy was found dead in prison. Russians are terrified about what’s next.” “…. Putin’s spokesman informed Russians this [past] week that … [Russia’s] ‘special military operation’ … was set to go on much longer because it is now ‘a war against the […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Avdiivka, Longtime Stronghold for Ukraine, Falls to Russians” – New York Times

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

“With Ukraine’s forces at risk of encirclement, the top military commander ordered a retreat. In startlingly candid accounts, soldiers described disarray and despair.” “Ukraine ordered the complete withdrawal from … decimated … Avdiivka before dawn … Saturday, surrendering a position that had been a military stronghold for the better part of a decade, in the face of withering Russian assault. […]

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Like Hitler Before Him, Putin has Had to Go to War to Try to Save His Regime — but He Won’t Succeed, El Murid Says

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

(Paul Goble – Window On Eurasia – Staunton, Feb. 15, 2024) There are ever increasing signs of problems in all sectors of Russian life, Anatoly Nesmiyan who blogs under the screen name El Murid says. Some of these are the product of media outlets seeking attention; but some reflect an underlying reality that Russians living under pressure now want to […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Biden, lawmakers hammer Ukraine aid holdouts after Navalny death” – Politico

Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Europe, EU, Headlines, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
U.S. Capitol in Bright Sunlight

“At the White House, the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill, Ukraine backers amp up the pressure on Republican holdouts.” “… [T]he Pentagon … touted the impacts of U.S. and European aid to Kyiv on the battlefield and in the economic costs to Moscow, but also underscored worries that Ukrainian forces won’t have the weapons needed to fend off Russian forces […]

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Russia in Review, Feb. 9-15, 2024

Armenia, Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Azerbaijan, South Caucasus, China, Corruption, Law, Police, Courts, Crime, Cybersecurity, Economy, Business, Investment, Trade, Europe, EU, Foreign Policy, Security, Visas, Headlines, Human Rights, Military, NATO, Nonprofits, Activists, NGO's, Nuclear, Missile Defense, 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) 5 Things to Know Donald Trump’s advisers have discussed getting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Putin around a negotiating table early in a potential second term, according to a Feb. 14 report by Bloomberg. One adviser to Trump said the promise of severing U.S. military aid could help get Zelenskyy—whom Trump has described as “the greatest […]

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UKRAINELINK: “A Long War Made Longer by the West’s Unaddressed Mistakes” – Kennan Institute: Victor Andrusiv

Europe, EU, Headlines, NATO, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Sanctions, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

(Kennan Institute – wilsoncenter.org/program/kennan-institute – Victor Andrusiv, Officer, Ukrainian Armed Forces; Former Director, Kyiv School of Public Administration – Feb. 14, 2024) Two years of war in Ukraine is already a long time, but recent events suggest that all forecasts regarding the end of hostilities no longer apply. For the first time, in speaking of a “long war” we’re referring […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Battle for Avdiivka tests Ukraine’s new commander” – Financial Times

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

“Oleksandr Syrsky aims to shore up eastern town, with troops fearing heavy losses as western supplies run short” “… Avdiivka [is] an early test for Ukraine’s new [commander-in-chief General Oleksandr Syrsky] and [a Ukrainian] army running short of ammunition and men as western military support falters. The battle for the industrial town 20km north of … Donetsk has been raging […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “What Tucker Carlson’s Putin Interview Means for the War in Ukraine” – Council on Foreign Relations

Germany, Headlines, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Spies, Spy Allegations, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Vladimir Putin file photo, adapted from screenshot of video at shareamerica.gov

“… But it wasn’t getting bogged down in historical minutiae that most hurt Putin’s case. He undermined his claim to be ready for practical diplomacy by endlessly parading his ethno-nationalist obsessions. And not all of these were matters of distant history. Blaming Poland rather than Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin for starting World War II was only the most egregious […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Why NATO Needs Ukraine: Kyiv’s Survival and Europe’s Security Depend on a More Unified Front” – Foreign Affairs: Alina Polyakova, James Goldgeier

Europe, EU, Headlines, JRL NewsBlog, Military, NATO, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
NATO Meeting File Photo

“… The July 2023 NATO summit … settl[ed] on an ambiguously worded communiqué declaring … NATO could invite Ukraine to join ‘when Allies agree and conditions are met.’ … The absence of a clear plan … has given Putin more confidence that he can wait out the West … in a war of attrition. … [T]he lack of resolve … […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “How Putin’s Obsession With History Led Him to Start a War” – WSJ

Headlines, History, Soviet Union, JRL NewsBlog, Media, Internet, Social Media, Television, Military, Politics, Government, Protests, Elections, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War
Map of Ukraine, Including Crimea, and Neighbors, Including Russia

“Long-winded, often factually erroneous arguments back his conviction that Russia has a historic right to Ukraine” “[In his] two-hour interview with Tucker Carlson … Putin recounted events of centuries past and trotted out 17th-century documents … expounding on deeply held views about the past, many widely disputed by historians, that have driven him to launch the continent’s bloodiest conflict since […]

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JRL NEWSWATCH: “Putin Seeks Revenge on a World Order He Once Wanted to Join” – Bloomberg

China, Europe, EU, Headlines, History, Soviet Union, JRL NewsBlog, Military, Ukraine, Russo-Ukrainian War, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations
Vladimir Putin file photo, adapted from screenshot of video at shareamerica.gov

“The KGB agent turned warlord president has shaped Russia with resentment and force. As Donald Trump threatens to abandon NATO allies if he returns to the White House, Putin’s poised to take advantage.” “… Putin is attempting to strike his own decisive blow against the U.S. and Europe to reshape [the] global order to Russia’s advantage … backed by military […]

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