Opinion

Recent comments by Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, General Valery Zaluzhny, claiming that the war with Russia has reached a “stalemate[1],” have sparked fresh calls for a negotiated settlement. While this desire to end the bloodshed in Ukraine is perfectly understandable, anyone advocating a peace deal with Vladimir Putin must first reckon with the genocidal reality of Russia’s invasion. Putin himself has repeatedly made clear that he denies Ukraine’s right to exist and is determined to extinguish Ukrainian statehood. Unless he is defeated, any compromise agreement would merely set the stage for the ...

As the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine moves toward the two-year mark, Vladimir Putin is still far from achieving his original goal of extinguishing Ukrainian independence and subjugating the entire country. Nevertheless, there are no indications that the Russian dictator is looking to end the war. On the contrary, Putin evidently believes time is on his side in Ukraine, and appears more confident than ever that he can ultimately outlast the West. Putin’s preparations for a long war are perhaps most immediately apparent in Russia’s 2024 budget, which includes an unprecedented increase ...

While the eyes of the world remain firmly fixed on Israel and Ukraine, Russia has been quietly building a new empire in Africa. From Sudan to Libya, from Algeria to Burkina Faso, Moscow is patiently stitching together a network of African client states that will likely endure regardless of the outcome of events in Europe. African leaders currently out of favor in Washington are being serially seduced by Moscow with arms sales, mercenary muscle, and political support. In return, Russia is acquiring customers, mining concessions, basing rights, and naval access. ...

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsThyroid cancer[1], Parkinson’s disease, leprosy or declining in the aftermath of a stroke - just a few of the many unproven ailments rumoured to have afflicted the Russian leader in recent years.Just this week, the Kremlin[2] were forced to deny rumours[3] that Vladimir Putin[4] had suffered a cardiac arrest in his bedroom, months after they were forced to deny that he had soiled himself. Since ...

Endless rumors[1] about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s[2] health have intensified speculation among experts that his quarter-of-a-century rule could be close to an end. Whilst there may be no shortage of those wanting to replace him, none has yet emerged as a clear front runner. It has been Putin’s strategy all along to “divide and rule[3],” ensuring no risk of a “palace revolution” to threaten him; furthermore, he has not named a preferred successor, at least not publicly. Kyiv Post examines some of the likely and less-likely candidates to succeed Putin. ...

It has been well-documented how failure to achieve military objectives during the war in Ukraine has damaged and, in some cases, destroyed the careers of a number of senior Russian commanders[1]. But what about those who staked their political future on the success of Moscow’s annexation of Ukrainian territory? The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published two recent papers that examined how the fact that Putin’s[2] “special military operation” has all but failed has impacted on those ambitious politicians who took positions in the occupied territories. These are summarized below. ...

Russia doesn’t stand to gain anything from de-ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, but friends and foes alike will reap the benefits of its decision.Russia is revoking its ratification of one of the most consequential international agreements for global security: the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Russian President Vladimir Putin claims that the move is being taken to reestablish strategic parity with the United States, which never ratified it, despite signing it back in 1996. In reality, the negative fallout may eclipse anything that Moscow stands to gain.For more than two decades, ...

(Source: Gosfondveteranov.gov.ru) While Kremlin leadership is trying to ignore the combat situation in Ukraine with, for example, an unnecessary sports festival in Perm, it has not given up on Russia’s goal to destroy the world order. Moscow seeks to upend the West’s economic, political, and cultural dominance for an alternative, multipolar reality. Russia’s attempted offensive near Avdiivka coincided with the Hamas attack against Israel and the alleged acts of sabotage on the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia and the adjoining cable between Sweden and Estonia. Moscow’s reaction to ...

If Russia wins the war in Ukraine, many other countries in the region will be faced with concerns about their own territorial integrity, a former Ukrainian president has told an event in Maynooth University.Speaking during a visit to Ireland, Viktor Yushchenko said Russian president Vladimir Putin was not just a “problem” for Ukraine.Mr Yushchenko, who was president of Ukraine between 2005 and 2010, had pushed for greater ties with the European Union and the West during his time in power, over the country’s relationship with Russia.The Ukrainian army was “fighting ...

It’s far from clear that the US will agree to send more aid to Ukraine. That raises deeply worrying questions about the future. What if Western support evaporates so that Ukraine either loses the war or the peace?  Ukrainian defeat in the war against Russian aggression would be a catastrophic failure for the West on numerous fronts, but particularly from an economic perspective. First, if Russian troops were able to drive through Ukraine and reach the border with Poland, it is likely that tens of millions of Ukrainians would flee westward. As ...

The Kremlin’s fingerprints[1] were all over Mohammed Deif and Hamas’s mass execution of more than 1,300 Israelis on October 7th. To understand who was behind the attack, intelligence analysts consider the Latin phrase “cui bono” – to whom is it a benefit?  The answer is Russia. Gaza, in effect, was just another bloody stop on Russian President Vladimir Putin[2]’s worldwide distraction tour. The fingerprints include multiple trips by Hamas[3] senior officials to Moscow, training[4] of Hamas militants by PMC Wagner mercenaries on “small unit tactics and the use of small unmanned aerial vehicles to drop explosive devices on to ...

The war in Ukraine will end in the defeat of Russia, burying any further attempts to resurrect the old Russian empire and pull Europe back into the past.When Russia initiated its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and was stopped on the road to Kyiv by a successful Ukrainian defense, a new process of Russian nation-building began. The longer Ukraine holds on, the more the Russian governing elite must reimagine their Russian identity by parting ways with Russian imperialism and the idea that Ukrainians and Belarussians belong to Russia.Russia's Foreign ...

On Sept. 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin[1] held a summit meeting with North Korea’s[2] Chairman Kim Jong-un at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Russian Far East.  Concerns in the international community are rapidly spreading as it is presumed that illegal transactions banned by the UN Security Council were discussed at this meeting. Putin’s strategic intention is, first of all, to hold a dominant position in the war and break Ukraine’s will to continue the war by resolving the problem of shortages of weapons and ammunition. Also, he is planning to ...

Proposals for peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are pointless and dangerous. The Kremlin will not offer peace in exchange for Ukrainian territories, because its goal is not territorial but the elimination of Ukraine on the way to completing Russia’s “historical mission” of destroying the “decadent West.”BERKELEY/KYIV – The democratic world, one hears constantly from its leaders, will support[1] Ukraine for “as long as it takes.” But, given these leaders’ reluctance to give Ukraine what it needs to win, what does this strong-sounding commitment really mean?In the worst case, it’s ...

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.Former Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid has been among the most vocal supporters of Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, just four months after her term came to an end.From public talks at global conferences to behind-the-scenes advocacy, Kaljulaid has been rallying for international aid for Ukraine, as well as for the country’s integration into both the European Union and NATO.Her President Kaljulaid Foundation (PKF) has raised 340,000 euros to aid journalists in Ukraine and more ...

PRAGUE -- For Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Israel-Hamas war is like every other crisis around the world: an opportunity to further Russia's aims in its invasion of Ukraine, says former oil tycoon and Russian opposition activist Mikhail Khodorkovsky."They are not supporting anyone," Khodorkovsky said of the Kremlin. "They are for chaos. Putin today needs chaos to get what he wants out of increasingly muddy, murky waters. And what they want is not to lose in Ukraine.""Putin is creating chaos wherever he can to distract people, to distract resources, to ...

Russia launched a major assault on the village of Avdiivka, one of its biggest efforts in months.But Putin now appears to be trying to temper expectations of a big advance there, experts say.Analysts say that Russia has had big losses and made little progress around the strategic village.Russian President Vladimir Putin may be trying to lower expectations that Russia can make significant progress in its fight for a strategic Ukrainian village, experts said.Last week, Russia launched one of its biggest attacks in months on Avdiivka[1], a key village in Ukraine's ...

In an interview with 'Ukrainska Pravda' this week, Budanov had a sobering message: “… we see several conflicts that, at first glance, seem to be regional, except for Ukraine, but they are all connected by the same countries, it’s like a web.” As the battle between Israel and Hamas continues, Kyiv Post Today looks at the connection between Russia, Iran, the war in Israel and the war in Ukraine. 

By declining to include funding for Ukraine as part of the recent deal to avert a government shutdown, the U.S. Congress sent a signal of encouragement to Russian President Vladimir Putin. That makes tightening the price cap on Russian oil exports all the more important.WASHINGTON, DC/CAMBRIDGE – Wars are won and lost on battlefields. But public finance plays a critical role in determining what the combatants can afford. This is particularly true for a long war, which is what Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has already become.By declining to include ...

Something significant happened recently in Russia, something maybe even more important than the theatrical march on Moscow[1] conducted by former Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in June, or his demise[2] afterward in a plane crash.Someone perhaps more educated about foreign policy matters than Prigozhin and uniquely qualified to comment on U.S. policy toward the Russian Federation took a truly courageous step that appears more honest than were Prigozhin’s verbal attacks[3] against his competitor, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, or any of the political grandstanding done by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, ...

In April, the Free University of Moscow ceased operating after being labelled an “undesirable organisation” by the Russian government. Egor Bronnikov writes that the targeting of the university is one of the latest examples of Russia turning to intellectual isolation. He suggests that higher education institutions in Europe should redouble their efforts to engage with anti-war Russian students and academics.HSE University, previously known as the Higher School of Economics, has been consistently ranked[1] as the best university[2] in Economics and Social Science in Russia[3] for many years. Despite this, the ...

When the bombs first began falling on Kyiv in February 2022, I thought the Russian people would immediately recognize the senselessness of it all and rise up to stop the war. After all, for more than seventy years since the end of World War II, Russians had joined their fellow Europeans in proclaiming “never again.”A small wave of protests did briefly erupt in the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion, but within a few weeks the streets of Russia’s towns and cities were once again empty. Some Russians protested by ...

As the war in Ukraine rages, it is difficult to imagine a constructive relationship between Russia and the West. The prospect is made unlikelier still by the Kremlin’s relentless anti-Western vitriol. Yet even if Russia’s strategic designs are defeated—hardly a sure bet, as the slow, uncertain unfolding of Ukraine’s much-anticipated counteroffensive shows—the country is not about to disappear from the global stage. Even a defeated Russia would still retain vast territory in the heart of Eurasia, the richest endowment of natural resources in the world, a colossal nuclear arsenal, and ...

Mikhail Khodorkovsky raised both eyebrows and hackles from other Russian opposition figures when he welcomed Yevgeny Prigozhin[1]'s move against Vladimir Putin[2]'s authority—after all, the late Wagner founder was no textbook revolutionary.But Khodorkovsky, an exiled tycoon who himself has ran foul of the Russian president, believes that the person who makes the first move to wrench Russia from autocracy may come from unexpected quarters."It was quite adventurous what Prigozhin did but it was not a revolution," Khodorkovsky told Newsweek regarding the Wagner chief's seizure of military facilities in Rostov-on Don and ...

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has succeeded in uniting the democratic world to a degree not seen in decades, but the Western response to the war continues to be hampered by excessive fear of provoking Putin. The Russian dictator has masterfully exploited this inclination toward self-deterrence, and has used a series of thinly veiled nuclear threats to slow down the supply of military aid to Ukraine. Each new round of weapons deliveries is preceded by endless debates and delays in Western capitals, leading to greater loss of life in Ukraine ...

Wars are won and lost on battlefields. But public finance plays a critical role in determining what the combatants can afford. This is particularly true for a long war, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already become.In declining to include funding for Ukraine as part of the recent deal to avert a government shutdown, Congress sent a signal of encouragement to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, the increase in global oil prices (now above $90 per barrel) is providing new revenues for Russia’s war effort.Congress needs to restore funding for ...

Editor’s Note: This is an analysis by Nataliya Bugayova, Kateryna Stepanenko, and Frederick W. Kagan for the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). This analysis was originally published[1] by the ISW on Oct. 1, 2023, and has been republished by the Kyiv Independent with permission. Russian President Vladimir Putin didn’t invade Ukraine in 2022 because he feared NATO. He invaded because he believed that NATO was weak, that his efforts to regain control of Ukraine by other means had failed, and that installing a pro-Russian government in Kyiv would ...

Russian foreign policy has always devoted considerable attention to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), especially considering how relevant the issue has become amid mounting authoritarianism under President Vladimir Putin’s regime. While Moscow regularly dismisses the HRC as a platform where Western countries criticize Russia, it is now seeking re-election[1] to the body, which it was expelled from in last year after invading Ukraine. Considering the tools Russian diplomats have at their disposal, I think they will be successful in these efforts.Having a seat on the HRC allows Russia to ...

How would you describe Russia's war against Ukraine?What is happening in Ukraine is not just territorial aggression. It is a struggle between freedom and totalitarianism. And I believe that is also how Putin sees it. Yes, there is longing for the Soviet empire, while in his subconscious, Putin wants to take revenge on the West for losing the Cold War. Bring us back to a world where might makes right and where consensus, agreements, documents and signatures no longer matter.Looking at the situation in Russia, it has gotten to the ...

Since Russia launched its full-scale war on Ukraine in February 2022, debates have raged in the West about how to properly respond to Moscow’s aggression. But those debates are limited by a lack of agreement about the goals of that aggression and, ultimately, what kind of threat Russia really represents. Arguably, understanding the Russia threat is a first-order priority: unless Western governments get that right, they risk either overreacting or underreacting. Officials and scholars who have proffered their views of Russian goals tend to see them in quite stark terms. ...

Video: Retired US general on why the short-term spending deal is a win for Putin  CNN

The leftist-populist party of former Prime Minister Robert Fico has won the parliamentary elections[1] in Slovakia, running on a campaign with two clear messages: no more military support to Ukraine and no more sanctions against Russia.Fico’s Smer-SD party scored nearly 23 percent of the vote, earning the president’s nod on Sunday to start talks to replace a technocrat government that has been backing Kyiv against Russia’s invasion.The parties likely to join the new coalition are the left-wing Hlas (Voice) party – which won 14.7 percent of the votes – and ...

The Ukrainian pursuit of sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression has been accompanied by a profound gratitude for the unwavering support from the United States. Presently, Ukraine treads the path towards liberation from Russia’s historical hegemony,  much like America’s journey away from the British Crown in the 18th century. Undoubtedly, Ukraine too shall navigate its course towards full independence, driven by fate and the resolve of those willing to safeguard their nation and kin. However, it is imperative not to perceive this war merely as regional conflict, akin to ...

Military analyst Sean Bell, along with other Sky experts, has been answering readers' most pressing questions daily about the war in Ukraine.Today, reader DenissM asked why Ukraine is so successful in attacking key Russian military installations.Kremlin blames UK and US for pipeline 'terrorist attack' - War latest[1]In the Sky News Ukraine blog[2], Sean Bell says:Notwithstanding Ukraine[3]'s relative success at halting Russia's illegal invasion and then pushing the occupiers back out of 50% of the territory once held, Ukraine remains a significantly smaller country than Russia.It therefore has to be very ...

Admiral Viktor Sokolov, commander of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, appears to be Schrodinger’s admiral, alive according to Moscow, dead according to Kyiv, with no clarity as to who may be right. The real significance of the missile strike on his headquarters, though, is not so much whether it did kill him, but what it says about Ukrainian goals and capabilities.On Friday, Su-24M bombers of Ukraine’s 7th Tactical Aviation Brigade launched British-supplied storm shadow cruise missiles at the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol. ...

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, independent journalists and media have faced an intensifying crackdown, with many declared “foreign agents.” FRONTLINE’s documentary Putin vs. the Press[1] explores how Novaya Gazeta, the independent newspaper founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dmitry Muratov, was censored and eventually forced to shut down by the Russian government.Although Russia’s war on Ukraine has led to an “unprecedented clampdown on the media,” Amnesty International’s Russia researcher Natalia Prilutskaya told FRONTLINE that press freedom was already in a dire position in Russia. Press freedom ...

Opinion: A cold shoulder for Ukraine. A shiver of delight for Putin  CNN

History shows that a change of leader in Russia has almost always been accompanied not by civil strife, but by liberalization.When President Vladimir Putin leaves office—however that happens—we will enter the post-Putin era. Much about this next period in Russian history is uncertain, and many fear what it could bring: perhaps a more brutal leader will emerge, perhaps Russia will disintegrate[1], or descend into chaos.Such apocalyptic predictions[2] appeared to find confirmation in the events of this summer, when Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin launched his short-lived rebellion. However, the resulting military ...

The Russian naval headquarters in Sevastopol is one of Moscow’s most important bases.Russian-occupied Crimea has come under increasing attack from Ukraine.The territory annexed by Moscow nine years ago is now an active battlefront in the war between the two neighbours.Once seen as a fortress of Moscow’s military might, Sevastopol has shown with this latest attack that Ukraine is capable of reaching targets far beyond the front lines.There’s speculation that British or French missiles helped Ukraine achieve a direct hit on Friday on the Russian naval headquarters – one of Moscow’s ...

Kyiv has denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin’s diatribe that the West installed Volodymyr Zelensky, an “ethnic Jew, with Jewish roots, with Jewish origins” as Ukraine’s president to “cover up the glorification of Nazism” as antisemitic. The fact that ethnically, Russian, Ethiopian and Yemenite Jews are diverse, yet share the same heritage, is ignored by Putin’s grotesque classical antisemitic characterization of Jews that is evocative of Der Stürmer.[1]The dark ironies abound. Despite being accused of being a neo-Nazi plant, Zelensky has stated that his grandfather’s brothers were killed in the Holocaust. ...

It’s only a matter of time before Vladimir Putin announces his run for president in 2024, but what will it look like? The Russian president’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, has already said Putin is “beyond any competition”[1] from other potential candidates in next year’s election and “enjoys the absolute support of the population.”  This is not far from reality, as according to a survey by the Institute for Conflict Studies and Analysis of Russia, nearly three-quarters[2] of Russians are unsure who they would vote for if Putin was not on the ...

As always with indirect statements, such as leaks to the media, these must be taken with caution. All too often, the enemy may be seeking to undermine the morale of the opposing party.  But certain trends are confirmed by diplomats this author has spoken to in confidence. President Zelenskyy openly referred to this in his September 19 speech[1] to the UN General Assembly, when he said: “I am aware of . . . attempts to make some shady dealings behind the scenes. Evil cannot be trusted. Ask Prigozhin if one bets ...

Press play to listen to this article Voiced by artificial intelligence. Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former political prisoner and CEO of Yukos Oil company, is the author of “How to Slay a Dragon: Building a New Russia After Putin.”As Russian President Vladimir Putin’s pointless brutality against Ukraine continues, so too does Ukraine’s valiant resistance.However, three months into their counteroffensive, while Ukrainian forces have made modest gains, they are yet to deliver a decisive blow. As winter approaches and the war grinds on, siren voices urging Ukraine’s leaders to negotiate a ceasefire ...

President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke before the United Nations on Tuesday to stress the need to maintain support for Ukraine as it fights against Russia’s invasion.President Biden told the U.N. General Assembly that Russia was banking on the world growing weary of the war to allow it “to brutalize Ukraine without consequence.”He then asked a pointed question.“If we abandon the core principles of the United States to appease an oppressor, can any member staying in this body feel confident that they are protected?” asked Biden. “If ...

A prominent Russian pro-war blogger doubled down on his criticism of Putin from prison this week.Igor Girkin, a former FSB operative, said he believes Russia is on the eve of collapse.Girkin believes Putin and his defense officials haven't gone far enough in Ukraine.  Loading Something is loading. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app A prominent Russian pro-war blogger is predicting the downfall of Russia from his prison cell just two months after he was arrested for criticizing ...

Why Cubans are fighting for Russia in Ukraine  CNN

In the early 1960s, writer Georgy Vladimov wrote Faithful Ruslan, a novel about a German shepherd trained to guard prisoners at a labor camp during Stalinist terror. After Stalin died, the prisoners were released, the guards departed and Ruslan, along with other guard dogs, became a stray. They scavenge in the trash and reminisce about the good old days when they were fed, slept warm and had fun keeping prisoners in line.One day a group of construction workers arrive at the remote village near Ruslan’s camp. As they walk on ...

Opinion: Ukraine is actually making progress against Russia  CNN

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is likely worried that an arms deal[1] with North Korea may expose Russia to new economic penalties and endanger current efforts to evade sanctions, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote[2] in its Sept. 13 report.North North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome on Sept. 13 to begin offical negotiations. Kim claimed[3] that "the Russian army and people will achieve a great victory in the sacred battle against the great evil."Meanwhile, Putin told Russian media the talks were ...

EXPLAINERDespite their often-aligning interests, ties between Moscow and Pyongyang have not always been rosy. Here’s a timeline of key events.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is in Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin.The summit on Wednesday will be Kim’s second with Putin, and the North Korean leader is expected to seek economic aid and military technology for his impoverished country.The United States, which first revealed that the visit was imminent, said Kim and Putin were also likely to discuss North Korea providing Russia with weapons for its gruelling war in Ukraine. ...