War in Ukraine: Update from Kyiv

Alexander Titov, Lecturer in Modern European History at Queen's University Belfast, discusses imperialism in the Northeast Asian region, Russian imperialism, common mechanisms of appropriation of former imperial territories, and possible echoes of patterns of imperial territorial conquest in Russia's current full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  Alexander Titov on Ukraine: Putin isn't mad - he's following a long-established great power playbook for conquest Alexander Titov on National appropriation of imperial lands in Northeast Asia in forthcoming edited volume Competing Imperialisms in Northeast Asia  Alexander Titov on twitter: @titovalexander Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Maksym Yali, Head of a Center for New World Order and Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, comments on when we are likely to see the Ukrainian counteroffensive commence, what's at stake and where it might take place.   Maksym Yali on twitter: @maksymyali  Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Daria Isachenko, Associate at the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS) at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), discusses Turkey's relations with Russia in light of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine: Turkey-Russia relations and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, war in Ukraine, Presidential elections in Turkey this year, and how relations might change this year.   More about Daria Isachenko's work Daria Isachenko on Turkey's Stakes in the Russia-NATO Rivalry Daria Isachenko on Turkey-Russia Partnership in the War over Nagorno-Karabakh  Daria Isachenko on Turkey and Russia: The Logic of Conflictual Cooperation More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Oleksa Drachewych, Assistant Professor in History at Western University, discusses the echoes of history in Russia's invasion of Ukraine: implications of the Bolshevik revolution and its aftermath, the use of narrative and symbols from World War II, and the brutal echoes of history in the way in which Russia has been carrying out the current invasion of Ukraine.  The current Russian regime "by conflating the Soviet experience [in World War II] to being Russian - they are essentially removing the Ukrainian experience from the broader narrative."  "The Russian rhetoric that tends to dehumanise Ukrainians very much mimics a lot of the way that the Soviet Union aimed to dehumanise the Germans, Romanians and others... during the Second World War... and that... dehumanisation then turned into violence and anger against civilians". Oleksa Drachewych on Calls for peace in Ukraine a year after Russia’s full-scale invasion are unrealistic Oleksa Drachewych on How Russia’s fixation on the Second World War helps explain its Ukraine invasion Oleksa Drachewych on Putin's War on Ukraine and on History  Oleksa Drachewych on twitter:  @ODrachewych Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Jenny Mathers, Senior Lecturer in International Politics at Aberystwyth University discusses the intersection of gender, heroism, security and war - in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine: types of heroism, different trajectories of the Ukrainian armed forces and the Russian military, and how the war might play out this year.  Jenny Mathers on Ukraine war: attitudes to women in the military are changing as thousands serve on front lines Jenny Mathers on Women and the War in Ukraine Jenny Mathers on Ukraine war: why Russian soldiers’ mothers aren’t demonstrating the strong opposition they have in previous conflicts Jenny Mathers on Ukraine war 12 months on: how Volodymyr Zelensky became the nation’s unlikely hero Jenny Mathers on Ukraine war: what the last 12 months has meant for the ordinary Russian soldier Jenny Mathers and Veronica Kitchen on Heroism and Global Politics  Jenny Mathers on twitter: @jgmaber Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Luca Anceschi, Professor of Central and East European Studies at Glasgow University, discusses the way in which Russia's invasion of Ukraine has impacted the Central Asian region: recalibration of relations with Moscow, how the region will navigate relations with both China and Moscow, and how the invasion is being viewed from the region.  Luca Anceschi on Russia - Central Asian Relations in the Aftermath of the Invasion of Ukraine Luca Anceschi on Analysing Kazakhstan's Foreign Policy: Regime Neo-Eurasianism in the Nazarbaev Era  Luca Anceschi on Turkmenistan and the Virtual Politics of Eurasian Energy  Luca Anceschi on twitter: @anceschitan  Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer  More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Pavel Slunkin, visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, discusses Belarus' position vis-a-vis Russia's invasion of Ukraine, including what Pavel learnt from being present at the Minsk negotiations summit in February 2015, how Lukashenka's relationship with Putin has changed from Russia's territorial incursions into Ukraine in 2014 to Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, how the invasion is viewed from Belarus, and whether Lukashenka would commit Belarus to participate directly in Russia's war in Ukraine.    More about Pavel Slunkin's work: Pavel Slunkin - European Council on Foreign Relations   Pavel Slunkin on Why the Belarusian army cannot help Russia in Ukraine  Pavel Slunkin on Why the Belarusian regime and its people are not one and the same Pavel Slunkin on Why the West should keep a close eye on Lukashenka Pavel Slunkin on twitter: @PavelSlunkin Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Ben Herscovitch, Research Fellow at the School of Regulation and Global Governance, on China's position vis-a-vis Russia and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, how this position might evolve in 2023, and how lessons China is learning from Russia's invasion of Ukraine are likely to shape its approach towards Taiwan in coming years.  Ben Herscovitch's substack: Beijing to Canberra and back  Ben Herscovitch on twitter: @B_Herscovitch Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Catrina Doxsee, Associate Director and Associate Fellow for the Transnational Threats Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), outlines the relationship between Wagner and the Russian state, why PMCs are not likely to be legalized in Russia, founding and evolution of Wagner, changes in Prigozhin's behavior, and global security implications of Wagner actiivty beyond Russia.  'The fact that PMCs are not legal in Russia... gives Putin a tremendous amount of leverage over those PMCs...'  'You have dissent within the ranks... as [Wagner] brings in populations out of prisons there's an intense social stigma between non-prisoners and prisoners in the ranks - as well as between the prisoners themselves given the very strict hierarchy socially in Russian prisons...'  Catrina Doxsee on Putin's Proxies: Examining Russia's Use of Private Military Companies Catrina Doxsee and Jared Thompson on The Wagner Group's Mounting Humanitarian Cost in Mali  Jared Thompson, Catrina Doxsee and Joseph Bermudez on Tracking the Arrival of Russia's Wagner Group in Mali More on the Transnational Threats Project Catrina Doxsee on twitter: @catrinadoxsee Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Kanykei Tursunbaeva, journalist, translator and Research Associate at the European Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and Mark Neville, award-winning photo journalist working in Ukraine since 2015, discuss operating under conditions of war, taking photos in conflict zones, being a 'war artist' and the project Stop Tanks with Books.  More about the European Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (EUASU) Special issue of American Behavioral Scientist with EUASU scholars: Special Issue: War in Ukraine   EUASU fund to support their work: Keep Scholars and Journalists Safe Postcode Ukraine Charity - mentioned in the epside: Postcode Ukraine  More about Mark's work: markneville.com Kanykei Tursunbaeva on twitter: @k_tursunbaeva Mark Neville on twitter: @NevilleStudio More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Niklas Masuhr, Senior Researcher and Military Analyst at the Center for Security Studies at the ETH Zurich University, discusses activities of the Wagner group; comparison of Russian and Chinese PMC activity; the role of the Wagner group in Ukraine and implications for the Russian domestic context.  Charlotte Hirsbrunner and Niklas Masuhr on: Russia's Footprint in Africa Allard Duursma and Niklas Masuhr on: Russia’s return to Africa in a historical and global context: Anti-imperialism, patronage, and opportunism Julia Friedrich and Niklas Masuhr on: Why is Russia Being So Brutal in Ukraine?  Niklas Masuhr and Benno Zogg on: The War in Ukraine: First Lessons  Julia Friedrich and Niklas Masuhr on: Mercenaries in the Service of Authoritarian States Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Bastian Brinkmann, journalist and Deputy Head of the Economics Department of the Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) discusses drivers in the Germany domestic political context behind Germany's pattern of deliberation and hesitation in making each new decision regarding supplying weapons to Ukraine, German constituency in favor of supplying all necessary weapons to Ukraine, legacy of Angela Merkel's 16-year tenure as Chancellor, and economic lessons for Germany from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.   Bastian Brinkmann on twitter: @BasBrinkmann More about Bastian's work: Bastian Brinkmann *** Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer About the host: Jessica Genauer

Lucan Way, Profesor of Political Science at the University of Toronto, discusses his recent book (with Steven Levitsky) Revolution and Dictatorship: The violent origins of durable authoritarianism - implications of violent social revolution for the character of the Soviet Union, legacies for Putin's regime, the distinct trajectories of Russia and Ukraine & Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way: Revolution and Dictatorship: The violent origins of durable authoritarianism Lucan Way: Pluralism by Default: Weak autocrats and the rise of competitive politics Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way: Competitive Authoritarianism: Hybrid regimes after the Cold War Lucan Way on twitter: @LucanWay Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer  More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Keir Giles, Senior Consulting Fellow at the Chatham House Russia and Eurasia program as well as Director of the Conflict Studies Research Centre discusses his latest book Russia's War on Everybody: And What it Means for You, how the Russian regime wages aggressive campaigns, cyber interference, disinformation, and the war in Ukraine.    "It’s that grey area between the state and commercial businesses and organised crime and the intelligence agencies, all of which work very closely together in Russia for projecting these effects abroad" "Putin has not created this idea that Russia is pursuing... he is just enacting it"  Keir Giles: Russia's War on Everybody: And What it Means for You Keir Giles: Moscow Rules: What Drives Russia to Confront the West Keir Giles on twitter: @keirgiles Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Maksym Yali, Head of the Center for New World Order and Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, forecasts how Russia's war in Ukraine will evolve in 2023 including conflict escalation, Ukrainian military successes and expected timeline of events given up-coming Presidential elections in Russia, Ukraine and the United States in 2024.  Maksym Yali on twitter: @maksymyali  Support Maksym's work Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Maksym Yali, Head of the Center for New World Order and Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, updates on the mood in Kyiv following attacks during the festive season and Putin's recent unilateral ceasefire declaration.  Maksym Yali on twitter: @maksymyali  Support Maksym's work Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Greta Uehling, Lecturer in International and Comparative Studies at the University of Michigan, discusses her forthcoming book Everyday War: The Conflict Over Donbas, Ukraine: how the war in Ukraine has been impacting citizens' lives since 2014, responses to the war, and why interpersonal relationships matter for the experience and trajectory of war.  Greta Uehling on Instagram: @greta.uehling Greta Uehling on twitter: @uehlingumiched1 Everyday War: The Conflict over Donbas, Ukraine can be pre-ordered with a 30% discount from Cornell University Press with discount code - 09BCARD - and will start shipping mid-January.    More about the host: Jessica Genauer

James Rodgers is a journalist and author and a Reader in International Journalism at City, University of Moscow, discusses his book Assignment Moscow, working as a foreign correspondent in Moscow in the 1990s and in the 2000s under Putin's regime, the way in which the media environment has changed since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  Assignment Moscow: Reporting on Russia from Lenin to Putin  More about James Rodgers and his work: jamesrodgersauthor.com James Rodgers on twitter: @jmacrodgers More about the host: Jessica Genauer  Jessica on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Prof. Paul Goode, McMillan Chair in Russian Studies and Associate Professor at Carleton University discusses top-down nationalism under Putin's regime, impacts of everyday nationalism in Russia, whether nationalism is a key driver of the Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and trajectory of the war.  "We should continue keeping a close eye on Belarus, on Moldova, on the Caucasus... there is a fundamental shift in the post-Cold War order that's happening now as a direct result of this war..." Paul Goode - more about the Russian Media Observation and Research (RuMOR) project  Paul Goode on Patriotism without Patriots? Perm΄-36 and Patriotic Legitimation in Russia Paul Goode on The Nation in Post-Soviet Russia  Paul Goode on Russia and "Love for the Motherland"  Paul Goode on twitter: @jpaulgoode More about the host: Jessica Genauer  Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Maksym Yali, Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, discusses life in Kyiv following infrastructure attacks across Ukraine that have caused electricity and water shortages as well as Ukrainian resolve, and comments on what we can expect on the battlefront over the winter - and when we might see a further Ukrainian counteroffensive.  Maksym's youtube channel: youtube.com/maksymyali Support Maksym's work: buymeacoffee.com/maksymyali Maksym Yali on twitter: @MaksymYali More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Alexander Lanoszka, Associate Professor in International Relations at the University of Waterloo, discusses Military Alliances in the Twenty-First Century including the purpose of alliances, NATO's response to the war in Ukraine, and how the Ukraine war is likely to shape military alliances in coming decades.   Alexander Lanoszka on Military Alliances in the Twenty First Century  More about Alexander's work: alexlanoszka.com Find Alexander on twitter: @alonszka More about the host: Jessica Genauer - I'm also on Twitter @jessicagenauer and Linkedin @Jessica Genauer

Una Bergmane, Research Fellow at the Aleksanteri Institute at the University of Helsinki, discusses Baltic states' independence from the Soviet Union; democratization versus empire; viewing Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine through the echoes of Soviet history; the possiblity of a military clash between Russia and the Baltic countries; and the implications of performative insanity in Russian domestic rhetoric.  “The question of Gorbachev’s relations with the Baltic republics [during the Perestroika years] is not just a story about the relations between the centre and periphery it is also a story about a deep tension at the heart of the Perestroika project, the tension between democratisation and the preservation of empire.”  During the Soviet period "Russian-speakers who arrived in Estonia and Latvia from other Soviet republics were not encouraged by the Soviet state to learn the local languages or to integrate themselves in Latvian or Estonian societies. They were encouraged to claim the privileges afforded to Russian speakers in the Soviet Union... This created the sense in the Baltic countries that... this imperial bond with Moscow has to be cut... as an existential imperative... There was this urge to reaffirm other identities other than the Soviet identity." When it comes to Ukraine "everybody in the Baltic countries understands that it could have been us... if something had happened a little bit differently in the 1990s... we would face the same choice as the Ukrainians do now... whether to live in the Russian zone of influence... which is a life in the zone of influence of Putin's regime... or face a war of agression."  Una Bergmane: More about The Politics of Uncertainty: The US, the Baltic States and the Collapse of the Soviet Union Una Bergmane on Fading Russian Influence in the Baltic States Una Bergmane on International Reactions to the Soviet Use of Force in the Baltic Republics in 1991 Una Bergmane on twitter: @unabergmane Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Collin Koh, Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technology University, on maritime security concerns in South East Asia; tensions in the South China Sea; China's build-up of maritime forces; Singapore's security concerns; India's maritime power - as well as lessons learnt from the use of maritime force in the war in Ukraine, and whether Russia's invasion of Ukraine increases or decreases the likelihood that China might attempt to integrate Taiwan by force.  **If you're primarily interested in lessons learnt from maritime conflcit in the war in Ukraine & whether Russia's invasion increases likelihood of military clash between China and Taiwan - skip to minute 14:17** "China remains a black box when it comes to its strategic intentions [as a maritime power] on the one hand it talks about diplomacy and economic cooperation but on the other hand we are still seeing China resort to maritime coercion” "There are some key lessons that can be drawn from the Ukraine war for the South Asian maritime region - first of all - a weaker power can actually hold up against a stronger power… A weaker power can leverage asymmetric strengths to counter a stronger power" "China is already drawing lessons from this war… as part of China’s military modernisation Russia has clearly been one of the models that they tried to emulate... and it came very likely as a huge shock to China that… in terms of its doctrine, its training and its equipment… the Russian military has grossly underperformed beyond expectations… China has already been conducting reviews of what they saw as lessons from Russia… these changes will take time" Collin Koh on Maritime Security in Southeast Asia  Collin Koh on AUKUS and Risks of Submarine Proliferation  Collin Koh on twitter: @CollinSLKoh Jessica Genauer on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Mack Tubridy, Russia researcher, reflects on the response to Russia's invasion within Russia, impact of mobilization & tensions in Georgia following influx of Russian emigres.  "The priority of the ruling elite in Russia is to maintain regime stability... Russia launching an invasion [against Ukraine] invites threats to regime stability" "A lot of people [in. Russia] who should in theory understand how Russia's political system works failed to understand... how serious Putin was about his intentions and how the elite class in Russia would be willing to go along with such a disastrous war"  Mack Tubridy on twitter: @yudbrit Me on twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Botakoz Kassymbekova, Lecturer in Modern History at Universitat Basel, discusses the Soviet Union as a colonial empire: forced resettlement, settler colonialism, humans as territory, the leagacies of colonialism today, and implications for the war in Ukraine. "The difference between settler colonial empires and extractive overseas empires lies in the relationship to land and labour… for settler colonial empires securing territory is the key purpose… in settler colonial empires in order to secure land for settlement you try to free the territory from the indigenous populations… using two modes… the first one is genocides… the second one is assimilation of local populations … when you assimilate people … they don’t claim the land back… so this very violent process of assimilation took place throughout the Soviet Union” "What we can see in Ukraine is settler colonialism again in action...The coloniser will never accept you [the colonised] as equal and you will never be allowed to go your own way… you will always have to identify with the coloniser”  Botakoz Kassymbekova on Humans as Territory: Forced Resettlement and the Making of Sovet Tajikistan  Botakoz Kassymbekova on Despite Cultures: Early Soviet Rule in Tajikistan  Botakoz on twitter: @BotakozKassymb1 My twitter: @jessicagenauer More about the host: Jessica Genauer

Paul Lushenko, US Army Lieutenant Colonel, PhD student in International Relations and Deputy Director of the Tech Policy Institute at Cornell University, discusses drone warfare, the use of drones in counterterrorism operations, issues of legitimacy, and the use of drones by both Ukraine and Russia in the war in Ukraine.  More about the Tech Policy Institute at Cornell: A research institute led by a group of social scientists interested in emerging technologies and quantitative methodology Paul Lushenko, William Maley & Srinjoy Bose (eds) on Drones and Global Order: Implications of Remote Warfare for International Society  Paul Lushenko on US Presidents' Use of Drone Warfare Paul Lushenko, Shyam Raman & Sarah Kreps on Multilateralism and Public Support for Drone Strikes  Follow Paul on twitter: @LushenkoPaul With recent use of drones by Russia “the intent here for Russia is... to impose punishment on civilians especially as a way to break the will of the Ukrainian leadership… [however] we know from the research… over the long term your results are really ineffective because what you often do is increase and inspire morale even in the face of harsh punishment…”  For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Stephan Fruehling, Professor at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University, discusses nuclear threats and the war in Ukraine: Would Putin use a nuclear weapon? How can Russia be deterred? And how might the threat of nuclear weapons use - shift the calculus for China - as well as for small and middle powers?  "Nuclear weapons actually aren't really that useful to win on the battefield where you have hugely dispersed forces...they're not going to shift the overall balance. What would shift the overall balance is if Russia could use nuclear coercion to stop the West from supplying weapons to Ukraine. Nuclear use would likely harden Western resolve… but Putin hasn’t been that good at reading Western response in the conflict overall." Stephan Fruehling and Andrew O'Neill (eds) on Alliances, Nuclear Weapons and Escalation: Managing Deterrence in the 21st Century For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Ian Garner, historian and translator of Russian wartime propaganda, discusses his forthcoming book Stalingrad Lives! that presents narrative wartime reporting on the Battle of Stalingrad, and considers national identity, wartime narratives, and how this legacy reverberates today in Putin's rhetoric around Russia's current war in Ukraine. "The overarching narrative of the battle [of Stalingrad]... is a quasi-religious narrative about death and sacrifice and resurrection...it doesn't just say that the sacrifice is regrettable... it says that the sacrifice has to happen... When we think about identity and national myth and narrative...and the way in which Putin draws on World War II... that is the core...sacrifice and death has to happen."   “What the [contemporary] Russian state understands with its propaganda… is that people will always be drawn to a story… even if that story isn’t real... as so much about the Russian state today isn't real.”  Find out more about Ian's work: igarner.net Check out Stalingrad Lives! Stories of combat and survival Follow Ian on twitter: @irgarner For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Maksym Yali, Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University on Kyiv, comments on why he believes Russia was likely behind the bombing of the bridge over the Kerch Strait that connects Crimea to Russia, and discusses the atmosphere and resolve in Kyiv following missile attacks on civilan targets and infrastructure.  "Putin does this [the strikes] not to win because it's impossible to win in this way... he does it to intimidate people...but you think you can intimidate us and we are ready to give up? No... This war is existential and all Ukrainian people are not ready to give up... we are ready to win."    Follow Maksym on twitter: @MaksymYali For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Denis Kazakiewicz, data analyst and journalist, discusses Belarus and the war in Ukraine: Aleksandr Lukashenko's relationship with Putin, impacts of the war on the Belarusian population, significance of a recently-formed Belarusian-Russian joint military group, and how the war affects Lukashenko's grip on power. "With the joint military group, Lukashenko gave one more piece of sovereignty, of Belarus, to Russian control. What does joint military group actually mean? It means that there will be some Russian and Belarusian soldiers intermingled - under Russian command."  "Lukashenko now is walking a very fine line - with his life in the balance... because if he will not be pro-Putin enough someone else might surface and tell Putin I am more pro-Putin... if he should stick to Putin too much and actually invade with full forces into Ukraine... that might end the rule of Lukashenko very soon... [because] people of Belarus don't want to die for Russian world."  Follow Denis on twitter: @Den_2042  For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Azamat Junisbai, Professor of Sociology at Pitzer College, reflects on growing up an ethnic Kazakh in a Russian-dominated environment in Kazakhstan, Kazakh identity, the economic fallout of the breakdown of the Soviet Union, the legacy of Russian dominance, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the process of decolonizing one's own mind.   "As an ethnic Kazakh growing up speaking Russian, I not only lost my language but I began to associate Kazakh with backwardness... how colonized you are in your own mind if you think that about your own culture... and I don't think my story is that unique..." "I think it's seeing Ukraine struggle against Russian agression... that has awakened this sense of Kazakh identity..." "There is something about the way for decades Russian people were taught to think about themselves... that the Europeans and the Americans are the colonial powers and Russia is always the bringer of culture and education and to call it a colonizer is crazy... but I think until and unless this is examined by Russians themselves... no-one around Russia is safe..."  Azamat Junisbai on The Limits of Authoritarian Learning: Deconstructing Kazakhstan's 2022 Coup Attempt  Azamat Junisbai on Making Sense of Kazakhstan's Political Transition Follow Azamat on twitter: @azamatistan For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Lisa Gaufman, Assistant Professor of Russian Discourse and Politics at the University of Groningen, discusses Putin's incoherent ideology and the impact of the mobilization on Putin's perceived legitimacy in Russia and future trajectory.  'There is no coherent ideology... Putin is trying to dress up his land grab into some kind of ideological padding that would resonate with some people who might still support him' 'Observing a lot of the blunders and the atrocities that the Russian army has inflicted on the Ukrainian population has tarnished Russia, even among countries that previously might have supported Putin'  'By declaring mobilization Putin pretty much destroyed the perception of stability that his legitimacy is built upon...'  Lisa Graufman Between a Liberal and a Hard Place - Russia and Global Ideological Competition  Lisa Graufman Security Threats and Public Perception - Digital Russia and the Ukraine Crisis  Follow Lisa Gaufman on twitter: @lisas_research For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Temur Umarov, Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, discusses Kazakhstan, its relations with Russia, and the war in Ukraine - why has Tokayev refused to support Russia's full-scale invasion? How has Russia's mobilization impacted Kazakhstan? How has the war impacted other Central Asian states?  'What Kazakhstan is doing right now [not supporting the war] is pretty risky. We have already seen that Russia is not happy with that... but Kazakhstan understands that it doesn't really have other options... because staying so closely connected to Russia means that together with Russia you would go to this isolation... it's a one-way ticket... so for Kazakhstan it's even more risky to continue being Russia's close ally'  'Tokayev is very popular in the society right now... after his tough and clear stance on the war in Ukraine... Inside Kazakhstan this [war] leads to even more will to drift away from Russia'  Temur Umarov: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace  Follow Temur on twitter: @TUmarov For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Janis Kluge, Senior Researcher at the SWP German Institute for International and Security Affairs, evaluates the impact of sanctions on Russia's economy, EU countries' decoupling from Russian energy imports, and the significance of recent 'leaks' in the Nord Stream pipelines.  "The effect of sanctions is [often] slower than expected... but that does not mean that it is more benign." Follow Janis on twitter: @jakluge For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Ivan Klyszcz, research fellow at the Estonian Foreign Policy Institute and Doctoral Candidate at the University of Tartu, disucsses Putin's mobilization and the North Caucasus - Dagestan, Chechnya, protests and the possible impacts of mobilization.  'the mobilization puts tremendous pressure on the entire Putin system that has been ruling Russia for two decades now, because this system is premised on demobilizing people, making them apolitical and disengaged from the way the country is ruled...'  'my fear is that mobilization in the North Caucasus will create a new cycle of violence in the region'  Ivan Klysczc on Chechnya's Paradiplomacy 2000-2020: The Emergence and Evolution of External Relations of a Reincorporated Territory  Ivan Klysczc on Lack of protest in the North Caucasus in 2021  Follow Ivan on twitter: @IvanUlisesKK For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Marnie Howlett, Lecturer in Politics at the University of Oxford, discusses findings from her team's latest public opinion survey research in Ukraine - conductin surveys during a full-scale war, sentiment in Ukraine on territory, sovereignty, Ukrainians categorical opposition to conceding territory or accepting Russian-backed control and implications of this for the war going forward.  The survey data showed that "Ukrainians are categorically opposed... [to cede territory or accept a Russian-backed government].. they will fight... they are not willing to back down... at any cost they will defend their land". Janina Dill, Carl Muller-Crepon and Marnie Howlett in The Conversation: "Ukrainians are not willing to give up territory or sovereignty – new survey." Ilko Kulcheriv Democracy Initiatives Foundation report comparing the survey data from February 2022 to May 2022: How the War Changed the Way Ukrainians Think About Friends, Enemies, and the Country's Strategic Goals  Follow Marnie on twitter: @marnie_howlett For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Oleksandr Seredyuk, graduate student at Ca'Foscari University of Venice and researcher with the Global Leaders in Unity and Evolvement think tank, discusses growing up in Ukraine, Russian colonialism, the war in Ukraine, and Russian disunity as Ukraine gains on the battelfield. Global Leaders in Unity and Evolvement: glueinstitute.org Follow the GLUE institute on twitter: @gloleaders Follow Oleksandr on twitter: @OSeredyuk For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Maxim Alyukov, Postdoctoral Fellow at the King's College London Russia Institute, and Andrei Semenov, Senior Researcher at the Center for Comparative Historical and Political Studies, discuss their recent report on Russian propaganda setbacks and the war in Ukraine, including a large-scale analysis of the differences between how Russian state media and Russian social media discuss the war in Ukraine.    Report by Maxim Alyukov, Maria Kunilovskaya and Andrei Semenov: Propaganda Setbacks and Appropriation of Anti-War Language: "Special Military Operation" in Russian Mass Media and Social Networks (February - July 2022) Maxim Alyukov on Propaganda, Authoritarianism and Russia's Invasion of Ukraine Maxim Alyukov on Making Sense of the News in an Authoritarian Regime: Russian Television Viewers Reception of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict  Follow Maxim on twitter: @maxalyukov Follow Andrei on twitter: @semenaff For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Oleksander Kraiev, Director of the North America Program at the Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council, comments on the counteroffensive with a view from Ukraine: restoring Ukraine's 1991 territorial borders, why taking back Crimea is increasingly realistic, Russia's logistical challenges, how Russian media channels are discussing the counteroffensive, and how Ukraine's more modern combat style compares to Russia's soviet-style approach.  "If previously we were hoping for the plan minimum - to restore the borders as of 24 February - now we are striving for the liberation of the whole Ukrainian territories - and restoration of the borders as of 1991" "The Russian offensive in February / March was more of a Soviet-style offensive... whereas the Ukrainian counterattack is more of a NATO-style offensive... Russia was not prepared for this style of combat" Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council  Follow Oleksandr on twitter: @OKraiev For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Oxana Shevel, Associate Professor of Political Science at Tufts University, discusses Ukrainian national identity, diversity, pluralism, changes since 2014 and since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 and optimism for Ukraine's future.  Russia's annexation of Crimea and incursions into Urkaine in 2014 caused "the part of the country that was the most pro-Russian to get cut off from voting in Ukraine's elections" and at the same time "this open Russian aggression turned more people away from Russia in their attitudes"  from "trying to keep Ukraine in Russia's sphere of influence - Putin has achieved exactly the opposite" Oxana Shevel on Migration, Refugee Policy and State Building in Postcommunist Europe Oxana Shevel on The Politics of Dual Citizenship in Post-Soviet States Oxana Shevel on Facts, the Fog of War and Identity  Follow Oxana on twitter: @oxanashevel For episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Nona Shahnazarian, Senior Research Fellow at the National Academy of Sciences in Yerevan, Armenia, comments on the impact of the war on Yerevan, including an influx of Russian citizens to Yerevan post-24-Feb, and discusses the trauma of loss, how the effects of conflict reverberate beyond the conflict itself.  "trauma is not only a one-time event but also a process... it's deeply traumatic to be frustrated by the futility of trying to formulate acceptable reasons for the events that exploded [one's] life"  Nona Shahnazarian with Jelami Sukhashvili and Zhala Banu on the Georgian-Ossettian and Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts Nona Shahnazarian on Social Transformations in Post-Soviet Nagorno-Karabakh (Not directly related to the episode) but - as mentioned - constant updates on the counteroffensive - @mriyareport and Denys Davydov For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Oleksandr Kraiev, Director of the North America at the Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council in Kyiv, discusses recent revelations of mistreatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war and the bombing of the prison in Olenivka where Ukrainian prisoners of war were being held, as well as the response to these events in Ukraine. 'We are going to win - but we should win like Ukrainians - this was an impetus to continue our struggle - not to cease it' Follow Oleksandr on twitter: @okraiev For episode update follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer I can also be reached on updatefromkyiv@gmail.com or jessica.genauer@flinders.edu.au

Brian Taylor, Professor of Political Science at Syracuse University, discusses the Code of Putinism - What are the key ideas that drive Putin and those around him? Was Putin's rise to power inevitable? Why is the war in Ukraine Putin's war?  Brian Taylor - The Code of Putinism  Brian Taylor in Foreign Affairs: The Power Struggle After Putin Follow Prof. Brian Taylor on twitter: @bdtaylor_SU For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Ivan Shmatko, PhD student at the University of Alberta, and Dafna Rachok, PhD candidate at Indiana University Bloomington, discuss what we can learn about Ukrainian society from Ukraine's public health services and the treatment of vulnerable groups; how Ukrainian identity, society and politics has diverged from Russia's; conditions and forced mobilisation in occupied territories; and anticipation in Ukraine of a coming counteroffensive.  Article on Crimea referenced by Dafna in the discussion: Jen Carroll on public health in occupied Crimea  Follow Dafna on twitter: @dafnarachok Follow Ivan on twitter: @shmatkoivan For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Zofia Stemplowska, Professor of Political Theory at the University of Oxford, investigates the 'NATO enlargement' argument - which suggests that NATO's inclusion of member states in Eastern Europe drove the war in ukraine - does this argument have any merit? what are its flaws? how can we better consider this issue?  Zofia Stemplowska: NATO enlargement is not to blame for Russia's war in Ukraine For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Maksym Yali, Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, discusses the upcoming Day of Ukrainian Statehood on July 28, Ukrainian identity since the full-scale Russian invasion, Russian propaganda and conditions amongst those left in occupied Mariupol.  For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Volodymyr Dubovyk, Associate Professor at the Department of International Relations at Mechnikov National University in Odessa, discusses the recent grain export deal agreed between Ukraine and Russia, subsequent Russian missile strikes on a port in Odessa, Ukraine's motivations to sign the deal, and chances of success. Follow Volodymyr on twitter: @volodymdubovyk For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Michael Mandelbaum, Professor Emeritus of American Foreign Policy at the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, on his latest book The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy: Weak Power, Great Power, Superpower, Hyperpower - we discussed the Four Ages; continuities in US Foreign Policy as a global power; US entry into and exit from wars; possible future trajectories; and unique aspects of US support for Ukraine in the current war.  Michael Mandelbaum: The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy Michael Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of Peace on Earth For episode updates follow on Twitter: @jessicagenauer

Maksym Yali, Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, discusses the possibility for a Ukrainian counteroffensive and the importance of a counteroffensive in Kherson before the Russian elections on 11 September this year.  Follow Maksym on twitter: @maksymyali For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Paul Poast, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, outlines the underpinnings of realism, and discusses the way in wich realism has been associated with the explanation that 'NATO expansion' to include states in Eastern Europe is a driver of Russia's actions. Paul - draws on realist assumptions - to provide an alternate - (and - for me - more convincing) - explanation for Russia's actions. Paul also discusses whether war in Ukraine could have been avoided and how Paul views the conflict trajectory.   Paul Poast - A World of Power and Fear: What Critics of Realism Get Wrong, Foreign Affairs, June 2022 Paul Poast - The war in Ukraine is on track to be amongst modern history's bloodiest, Washington Post, June 2022 Follow Paul Poast on twitter: @profpaulpoast For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Mart Kuldkepp, Associate Professor of Scandanavian History and Politics at University College London, discusses the Baltic states and the war in Ukraine: Estonia's support for Ukraine, Ukraine-Baltic relations, the extent of Russia's threat to Baltic states, and how Finland and Sweden's expected NATO accession will impact security in the Baltic Sea.  Follow Mart on twitter: @kuldkeppmart For episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Political theorists Avia Pasternak, Associate Professor in Political Theory at University College London, and Zofia Stemplowska, Professor of Political Theory at Oxford University, engage in a thoughtful discussion of the justifications for the imposition of sanctions on Russia. When imposing sanctions, how do we consider costs on populations versus the possibility of preventing harm; individual responsibility of citizens versus the decisions and behavior of political leaders; citizens' awareness of the harms being committed and control over these harms? Avia and Zofia discuss these and other questions in light of the imposition of sanctions on Russia following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.  Avia and Zofia: Are Severe Sanctions on Russia Morally Justified? Avia Pasternak: Responsible Citizens, Irresponsible States Should Citizens Pay for Their States' Wrongdoings? Zofia Stemplowska: Responsibility and Distributive Justice For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Steven Pifer, former US Ambassador to Ukraine, and affiliate of Stanford's Center for International Security and Cooperation, discusses US-Ukraine relations following the breakdown of the Soviet Union, Ukraine's decision to give up nuclear weapons, key economic challenges, US support for Ukraine post-24-Feb, and Ukraine's reconstruction.  Steven Pifer - The Eagle and the Trident: US-Ukraine relations in turbulent times  Follow Steven Pifer on twitter: @steven_pifer For episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Michael Doyle, Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, considers liberal peace theory in light of the current war in Ukraine. What is liberal peace theory? Do democratic regimes encourage restraint? Why is economic integration not sufficient to avoid war? How important is the dimension of regime type to Russia's invasion of Ukraine? What is the importance of national self-determination? Prof. Doyle engages these issues in a thoughtful, measured and insightful discussion.  Michael Doyle's forthcoming book - Cold Peace: Avoiding the New Cold War For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

John Blaxland, Professor of International Security and Intelligence Studies and former Head of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University, discusses the way in which the war in Ukraine will shape security in the Asia-Pacific region - John notes differences between Russia and China as global powers, India's position and this shapes relations in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (US, Japan, Australia & India), and impacts on the 2021 AUKUS deal (US, UK & Australia) including an interesting conversation on the utility of nuclear submarines.  Follow John on twitter: @JohnBlaxland1 For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Maksym Yali, Head of Center for New World Order and Professor of International Relations at National Aviation University in Kyiv, responds to Ukrainian troops withdrawal from Lysychansk in the Luhansk region, and the political, military and symbolic signiicance of Russia's withdrawal from Snake Island.  For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Ivan Shmatko, doctoral student in Criminology at  the University of Alberta, and Dafna Rachok, doctoral candidate in Anthropology at the University of Indiana, both from Ukraine and currently in Kyiv, share their experiences of war, invasion, volunteering, civil society and Ukraine's resolve. Follow Ivan on twitter: @shmatkoivan Follow Dafna on twitter: @dafnarachok Link to come back alive  Link to insight LGBTQ NGO  Link to UAnimals   Link to Zoopatrul    For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Toby Newstead, Lecturer in Management at the University of Tasmania, and Suze Wilson, Senior Lecturer at the School of Management at Massey University in New Zealand, discuss the importance of character and virtues to good leadership - and how this applies to what we have seen of President Zelensky's leadership during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.  Suze and Toby on virtues and Zelensky's leadership in The Conversation "The Value of Virtue: 7 reasons why Volodymyr Zelenskyy's crisis leadership has been so effective"  Suze and Toby's research on virtues and crisis leadership during the COVID19 pandemic For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Jamie Shea, with 30 years experience as a NATO official including as NATO spokesperson during the war in Kosovo and as NATO's Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, discusses NATO's 2022 Strategic Concept, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, NATO's response, and what Sweden and Finland's membership means for the alliance.  Jamie Shea - Strategy and Security Institute  Jamie Shea - Chatham House For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Volodymy Dubovyk, Associate Professor of International Relations at Mechnikov University in Odessa, Ukraine discusses US-Ukraine relations with a view from Ukraine. We discuss the evolution of US-Ukraine relations since the breakdown of the USSR, relations during President Zelensky's terms, and since the full-scale Russian invasion on 24 February this year.  Volodymyr Dubovyk, Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian studies  Follow Volodymyr on twitter: @volodymdubovyk For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

This was an extensive, in-depth and informative discussion with Matthew Light, Associate Professor of Criminology and Sociolegal Studies at the University of Toronto, expert on post-Soviet states. Matthew outlines the different trajectories of post-Soviet states, Kazhakstan's refusal to support recognition of Russian-backed regions in Ukraine as sovereign territories, the approach and position of the Baltic states, the legacy and dynamics of Russian speaking populations, and NATO's role in regards to post-Soviet states.  Matthew Light on the post-Soviet region Matthew Light on migration from former Soviet states Follow Matthew Light on twitter: @mattlightcrim For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer I can also be reached at updatefromkyiv@gmail.com or jessica.genauer@flinders.edu.au

Oleksandr Kraiev, Director of the North America Program at the Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council in Kyiv, discusses the full-cale Russian invasion, life in Kyiv, and developments in coming months.    Oleksandr Kraiev - Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council  For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Matthew Ford, Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Sussex, and Andrew Hoskins, Professor of Global Security at the University of Glasgow discuss Radical War - the way in which data and digitization are transforming warfare in the twenty-first century - smartphones in war, the new war ecology and the nature of attention. FYI - for non-Brits - 'a bit marmite' translates as 'a divisive issue' - you love it or you hate it! (you have to try marmite to get it) 😁 Matt and Andrew's book Radical War: Data, Attention and Control in the Twenty-First Century  Matt and Andrew's website: radicalwar.com Follow Matt on twitter: @warmatters Follow Andrew on twitter: @andrewhoskins Follow Radical War on twitter: @warradical For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer  I can also be contacted via email on updatefromkyiv@gmail.com or jessica.genauer@flinders.edu.au

Maksym Yali, Head of the Center for New World Order and Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, provides a response from Kyiv to EU leaders visits to Kyiv and reflects on mounting losses for Russian forces.  For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Mark Galeotti, director of Mayak Intelligence, honorary Professor at University College London, and senior associate fellow with the Royal United Services Institute, discusses new ways of warfare, responses, Putin's invasion of Ukraine ... and a fascinating story on the origin of The Gerasimov Doctrine (spoiler alert: Mark coined the term!).  Mark's blog and info on recent books: In Moscow's Shadows Mark's podcast: In Moscow's Shadows Mark's article on The Gerasimov Doctrine  Follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkGaleotti For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

British Maj, Gen. Chip Chapman (ret.), who fought in the Falklands War, worked as the Head of Counterterrorism for the British Ministry of Defence served as the Senior British Military Advisor to the US Central Command, engages in a wide-ranging and thoughtful analysis of the current conflict in Ukraine - the early weeks, key misperceptions, and evaluation of the current situation and possible outcomes.  Chip Chapman's book: Notes from a Small Military  Follow Chip Chapman on twitter: @NotesFASMil For episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

US Army Maj. John Spencer (ret.), expert on urban warfare, breaks down the story of how a twitter thread on urban warfighting turned into The Mini-Manual for the Urban Defender - translated into Ukrainian - (and 8 other languages!) - and distributed to Ukrainian armed forces as a how-to guide for urban combat.    Read the Mini-Manual for the Urban Defender  Learn more about John Spencer and his work Follow John Spencer on Twitter: @spencerguard John's latest book: Connected Soldiers  John's podcast The Urban Warfare Project  For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Rory Cormac, Professor of International Relations at University of Nottingham, discusses his recent book 'How to Stage a Coup: And Ten Other Lessons from the World of Secret Statecraft'. We engage in a lively discussion about covert action, disinformation and conditions for a successful coup. Fascinating deep-dive into a timely issue-area.  Rory Cormac - How to Stage a Coup  Follow Rory on twitter: @rorycormac For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Greg Carleton, Professor of Literature and Cultural Studies at Tufts University, joins me to discuss Russia's national identity of engaging in a perpetual war, the stories that underpin this identity, and the way in which fractures in these stories might shape the trajectory of conflict in Ukraine.  Greg's book on the intersection between war and Russian national identity: Russia - The Story of War For episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer  Comments, questions or episode suggestions can be emailed to udpatefromkyiv@gmail.com or jessica.genauer@flinders.edu..au

Maksym Yali, Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, provides an update - discussing Putin's recent 'rebranding' of the war and Ukrainians' on-going readiness to continue fighting in Donbas.    For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Ulrike Franke, Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and leader of the ECFR's Technology and European Power initiative, with a focus on German and European security and defence, discusses Germany's position vis-a-vis Ukraine including Germany's approach to defense, military capability and war in Ukraine.    Follow Ulrike on twitter: @rikefranke Ulrike Franke on German National Identity for War on the Rocks  Ulrike Franke on military robots and drones for the Routledge Handbook of Defence Studies  Ulrike Franke on proliferated drones  For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Now that we've hit 50 episodes in just under two months - I thought it was time to do a short intro about myself - Jessica Genauer - who am I and why did I decide to start the podcast?  For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer Comments, questions or episode suggestions can be emailed to updatefromkyiv@gmail.com or jessica.genauer@flinders.edu.au

Frank Ledwidge, Senior Lecturer in Law and Strategy at the University of Portsmouth and a former military intelligence officer who served in the Blalkans, Iraq and Afghanistan, discusses functions of air power, how this has played out in the war in Ukraine, and implications for the future of aerial warfare. Frank on air power: Aerial Warfare: The Battle for the Skies Frank on military strategy: Losing Small Wars: British military failure in Iraq and Afghanistan For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer  Comments, questions or episode suggestions can be emailed to: updatefromkyiv@gmail.com or jessica.genauer@flinders.edu.au

Miroslav Mares, Professor of Political Science at the Masaryk University in the Czech Repulbic, discusses disinformation and the Russia-Ukraine conflict - in the Czech context, including insight into drivers, mechanisms and responses.  Miroslav Mares on Russian disinformation  Miroslav Mares on responses to new security threats  For episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Maksym Yali, Head of the Center for New World Order and Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, discusses significance of missiles in Kyiv and evolving situation in Donbas (6 June)    For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

In this episode, Julie Diamond, founder of Diamond Leadership, whose work focuses on the intersection of power and conflict, discusses types of power, how our awareness of power relates to conflict situations, and considers some ways in which this applies at the level of political interactions.  Julie's book Power: A User's Guide Follow Julie on Twitter: @julie_diamond Find out more about Julie Diamond For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer Comments, questions or episode suggestions can be emailed to: updatefromkyiv@gmail.com or jessica.genauer@flinders.edu.au

Joshua Rovner, Assoc. Professor of International Service at the American University in Washington DC and expert on the intelligence domain, discusses the role of intelligence in the lead-up to and during the war in Ukraine, (lack of?) cyber attacks and importance of the information domain.  Joshua on intelligence and the Ukraine conflict for War on the Rocks Joshua Rovner: Fixing the Facts - National Security and the Politics of Intelligence For episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Darren Lim, Senior Lecturer in politics and international relations at the Australian National University, with a focus on geoeconomics, global governance and Sino-US competition, discusses China's response and position vis-a-vis the Urkaine conflict, as well as implications for China's economic relations, intentions towards Taiwan, and place in the international order.   Check out Darren's foreign policy podcast: Australia in the World  Darren's recent piece on China with Nathan Atrill  Follow Darren on twitter: @limdarrenj For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Mick Ryan, Major General , AM (ret.) of the Australian Army, who served in the Australian Defence Forces for over 35 years as well as commander of the Australian Defence College, discusses his recently-released book War Transformed: The Future of Twenty-First Century Great Power Competition and Conflict . Mick coments on how the fourth industrial revolution will shape warfighting, key challenges of the twentieth century, advice for future leaders, and the importance of culture and curiosity.  Find out more about War Transformed Find out more about Maj. Gen. Mick Ryan, AM  Follow Mick on Twitter @warinthefuture For episode updates: Follow on twitter @jessicagenauer Comments, questions or episode suggestions can be emailed to: updatefromkyiv@gmail.com or jessica.genauer@flinders.edu.au

Sascha Dov Bachmann, Lieutenant Colonel of the German army reserves, Professor of Law at the University of Canberra and co-convener of the National Security Hub at the Institute for Governance and Policy, discusses global security threats, NATO's preparedness to face these threats, and military recalibration - in the context of the current conflict in Ukraine.  National Security Hub, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra  Learn more about Sascha Dov's work and research Follow Sascha Dov on twitter: @SdBachman For #updatefromkyiv episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer Comments, questions or episode suggestions can be emailed to: updatefromkyiv@gmail.com or jessica.genauer@flinders.edu.au

Maksym Yali, Prof. of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv and regular guest of the podcast, updates on the situation in Donbas and current mood in Ukraine.  For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Mikael Wigell, Research Director at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, discusses geoeconomic dimensions of the Ukraine conflict including EU's use of economic statecraft, Russia's isolation and Finland's strategy of economic hedging.  Mikael on the EU and geoeconomic power Mikael on hybrid interference  Follow Mikael on twitter @MWigell For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

US Army Maj. John Spencer (ret.) discusses war, leadership and social connections as investigated in his forthcoming book Connected Soldiers. John unpacks what drives soldiers in battle, conditions that encourage human connection, and leadership capacities required in the twenty-first century.  John has over 25 years experience in active combat in the US military including two deployments in Iraq in 2003 and 2008 as infantry Platoon Leader and later Company Commander. John currently holds the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point.  More about John Spencer Find Connected Soldiers  Follow John on Twitter: @spencerguard For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer Comments, questions or episode suggestions can be emailed to: updatefromkyiv@gmail.com

Cian O'Driscoll, Professor at the Department of International Relations at the Australian National University and researcher of just war, breaks down the principles of just war theory (just cause; justice in war; justice after war) discusses the complexities of these concepts - and considers them in light of the Ukraine conflict.  Cian on the irony of just war  Cian on the Triumph and Tragedy of Just War  Cian on the Victory Taboo in Just War Theory  For #updatefromkyiv episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Maksym Yali, regular guest and Professor of International Relations at the National Aviation University in Kyiv, udpates on Mariupol, what we know about where the Azov fighters are and what will happen now, and how he feels about the fall of the city into Russian control - as someone who grew up there.    For episode updates follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

In this episode I have a discussion with Dianne Pfundstein-Chamberlain on the mechanism of credible threats and the components of resolve -  from credible threats and the US-led invasion of Iraq - to considering how these concepts apply in the context of the current conflict in Ukraine.  Link to Dianne’s book Cheap Threats: Why the United States Struggles to Coerce Weak States For episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer  Comments, questions and episode suggestions can be emailed to updatefromkyiv@gmail.com

Liam Collins, retired Colonel of the US military, founding director of the Modern War Institute at United States Military Academy West Point, executive director of the Madison Policy Forum, and defence advisor to Ukraine for 2 years post-2014, gives inside insight into Ukraine's military reforms and performance, as well as breaking down Russia's lessons-learnt from military challenges in Georgia in 2008, successes in 2014, and miscalcuations in 2022.  Follow Liam on twitter: @LiamSColllins Liam on Ukraine's military performance  Liam on hybrid warfare and non-traditional warfighting strategies  Comments, questions or episode suggestions can be emailed to: updatefromkyiv@gmail.com  For episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Melissa de Zwart, Professor of Digital Technology, Security and Governance at Flinders University in Australia and an expert in space law, discusses space cooperation, space law and the involvement of priviate sector actors in the space domain - in the context of the Ukraine conflict. An interesting and wide-ranging discussion.  Following Melissa on twitter for frequent updates on the space domain: @mdezwart  Link to Melissa's work on future uses of outer space  Questions, comments or episode suggestions can be emailed to: updatefromkyiv@gmail.com  For episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer

Jade McGlynn, a senior researcher at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, engages in a thoughtful and enlightening conversation on the crafting of memory and national identity in the Russian context. What is the 'turn to memory' and how has it intensified since the first Russian-backed incursions into Ukraine in 2014?   Jade lived in Russia for five years until 2014 and her forthcoming book - The Kremlin's Memory Makers - is an in-depth study of the use of national memory to galvanise support for the regime.  Jade's forthcoming book: The Kremlin's Memory Makers  Follow Jade on Twitter for Russia analysis and updates on the book's release: @drjademcglynn For episode updates - follow on twitter: @jessicagenauer