War in Ukraine: Update from Kyiv

91. KYIV UPDATE: Maksym Yali updates on counteroffensive, cracks in Russian morale and IAEA visit to Zaporizhzhia power plant

Maksym Yali, Professor of International Relations and Head of the Center for New World Order at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, discusses the state of a Ukrainian counteroffense - we might see the main strike in an unexpected place - cracks in Russian morale - the more strikes and 'accidental' explosions in Crimea and Bolgorod the more Russians realise that 'this is not only on TV but concerns them personally' - and comments on low expectations from the IAEA inspectors' visit to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. 
Follow Maksym on twitter: @maksymyali
For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer 

90. ANALYSIS: Alasdair McCallum on Russian opposition, mobilisation, passivity and the Ukraine war

Alasdair McCallum, doctoral student at Monash University, discusses Russian civil and political opposition - and why we've seen a muted overt opposition: 'Putin's regime aims to mobilise some parts of the population and demobilise others'
'Whilst parts of society have been rendered passive... as the war continues it will be increasingly hard for these populations to stay untouched by the war... passivity is not going to be an option forever'. 
Alasdair McCallum on 'Much Azov About Nothing: How the Ukrainian 'Neo-Nazi' Canard Fooled the World'
Alasdair McCallum on 'Why We Need to Talk About 'Westsplaining' the Russian Invasion of Ukraine' 
Alasdair McCallum on 'A Word Please: It's Ukraine not the Ukraine'
Alasdair McCallum on 'Putting Putin's False History into Perspective'
Follow Alasdair on twitter: @alasdairmcc1
For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

89. ANALYSIS: Marek Menkiszak analyzes Russia’s miscalculations, misperceptions and strategic failures in the war in Ukraine

Marek Menkiszak, Head of the Russian Department at the OSW Center for Eastern Studies in Warsaw, analyzes Russia's miscalculations, misperceptions and strategic failures in the War in Ukraine. 
'Russia's decision-making was driven by a mix of ignorance and arrogance... they simply do not understand the changes that have taken place over the last 30 years' 
'Russians believe that the losses that Ukrainians are taking in the war will destroy their morale... but the consequences are directly the opposite... there is increasing anger amongst Ukrainians and decreasing will to go for any consessions'.  
OSW Center for Eastern Studies 
OSW report on War as The New Normal: Ukraine half a year since Russia's full-scale invasion
Marek Mekiszak on Moscow's Long War
OSW report on Russia's plans to Annex Ukraine 
OSW report on Half a year of Russia's war on Ukraine
OSW report on 'Nato-Russia relations after the Cold War'
OSW report on 'Russia's European security policy' 
OSW report on 'Fortress Kaliningrad: Ever closer to Moscow' 
Follow Marek on twitter: @marekmekiszak
For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

88. KYIV UPDATE: Maksym Yali on Ukraine Independence Day, hits in Crimea and exptected mock trial of Azov defenders in Mariupol

Maksym Yali, Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, discusses the mood in Ukraine on Independence Day, Ukrainian hits on military targets in Crimea and the expected mock trials of Azov defenders in Mariupol. 
Follow Maksym on twitter: @maksymyali
For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

87. ANALYSIS: Maria Popova on Ukraine, accession to the European Union, reforms, & Russia’s aspirations of imperial restoration

Maria Popova, Associate Professor of Politics at McGill Univeristy, discusses Ukraine, accession to the European Union, reforms, post-Soviet thinking and the aspirations of Russian imperial restoration - "when was the window closed on Russia being able to live peacefully with independent neighbours that pursue their own foreign and domestic policies?" 
Oxana Shevel and Maria Popova on Why Ukraine Belongs in the EU
Maria Popova on Judicial Reform in Ukraine after the Euromaidan Revolution 
Maria Popova on Guaranteeing Ukraine's Long-run Security 
Follow Maria Popova on twitter: @popovaprof
For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer 

86. ANALYSIS: James Farwell on Ukraine, Turkey, Syria and - and broader lessons for leadership

James Farwell, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, comments on implications of the Ukraine war for Turkey and Syria - as well as broader lessons for leadership discussed in James' book The Corporate Warrior - and how these might apply in the context of the current war. 
James Farwell - The Corporate Warrior: Successful Strategies from Military Leaders to Win your Business Battles  
Follow James on twitter: @jamespfarwell 
For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer 

85. VIEW FROM UKRAINE: Tymofii Brik on Ukrainian society, pluralism, the place of religion, and why the narrative of Ukraine as a divided society does not hold up

Tymofii Brik, Associate Professor and Rector at the Kyiv School of Economics, discusses Ukrainian society, the place of religion, diversity and pluralism, why there is no religious monopoly in Ukraine, and why the narrative of Ukraine as a divided society does not hold up to scrutiny. Tymofii also outlines the Ukrainian Global University iniative that he helped to establish post-24-Feb to assist Ukrainian university students affected by the war - to study overseas and return to Ukraine to help rebuild the country. 
The Ukrainian Global University initiative 
Follow Tymofii on twitter: @brik_t
Follow Ukrainian Global University on twitter: @UglobalU
Tymofii Brik on When Church Competition Matters?
For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

84. ANALYSIS: Christopher Faulkner on the Wagner Group - Who are they? What are their areas of operation? And what is the impact of their involvement in Ukraine?

Christopher Faulkner, Assistant Professor at the United States Naval War College, discusses the Wagner Group: who are they? how are they connected to the Russian regime? what are their areas of operation? and what is the impact of their involvement in Ukraine? 
This was a fascinating discussion that made me think about the implications of private military contractors operating in theaters of war, and of Russia's denial of association with the Wagner Group - whilst encouraging their involvement on the ground. 
Christopher Faulkner on the Wagner Group: Undermining Democracy and Exploiting Clients: The Wagner Group's Nefarious Activities in Africa, 2022
Christopher Faulkner on Private Military and Security Companies and Peace Duration post-Civil War, 2019
Follow Christopher Faulkner on twitter: @C_Faulkner_UCF
For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

83: ANALYSIS: Aleksandar Matovski on Popular Dictatorships - electoral authoritarianism, Putin’s popularity, the utility of crisis, & domestic legitimation as a driver of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

Aleksandar Matovski, Assistant Professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School, breaks down the internal function of 'Popular Dictatorships' - electoral autocracies - regimes in which authoritarian leaders need to maintain popular legitimacy to survive - and what this tells us about Putin, Russia and the war in Ukraine. Aleksandar outlines how Putin rose to power, how foreign crises intersect with Putin's popularity, and why we need to undertstand Russia's regime type in order to understand Putin's decision to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  
“The domestic legitimation motive is actually much more consistent than the dominant geopolitical explanation for the war in Ukraine”
Aleksandar Matovski - Popular Dictatorships: Crises, Mass Opinion, and the rise of Electoral Authoritarianism
Follow Aleksandar on Twitter: @A_Matovski
For episode updates follow on Twitter: @jessicagenauer

82 ANALYSIS: Four-star Gen. of US Air Force Phillip Breedlove (ret.) on NATO, weapons for Ukraine, and what Ukraine requires for success

Retired four-star General of the US Air Force, General Philip Breedlove, who served as NATO Supreme Allied Commander to Europe from 2013 to 2016, discusses NATO's response to Russia's incursions into Ukrainian territory in 2014, whether weapons to Ukraine will make a difference, and what Ukraine needs for success.
"Russia has kit, but lacks manpower; Ukraine has highly motivated personell but lacks kit... with the right amount of kit, delivered to the right place, at the right time - Ukraine can succeed". 
Follow General Breedlove on twitter: @PMBreedlove
For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer