Author: TheConversation

By Aaron Pilkington, U.S. Air Force Analyst of Middle East Affairs, PhD Student at Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver The war in Ukraine is helping one country achieve its foreign policy and national security objectives, but it is neither Russia nor Ukraine. It is Iran. Iran is among Russia’s most vocal supporters in the war. This has little to do with Ukraine and everything to do with Iran’s long-term strategy vis-à-vis the United States. As Russia’s war on Ukraine passes six months and continues eroding Russia’s manpower, military stores, economy and diplomatic connections, leader Vladimir Putin...

By Benjamin Jensen, Professor of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps University; Scholar-in-Residence, American University, American University School of International Service Ukrainian forces, aided by Western firepower, have upset traditional military logic once again. Advancing deep into Ukrainian territory seized by Moscow earlier in its invasion, a counteroffensive launched in September 2022, has forced back the invading Russian army. In the process Kyiv has recaptured over 2,000 square miles of land in the country’s northeast and left Moscow’s prized units like the 1st Tank Guards Army in disarray. The success of the counteroffensive has shown that what is known in military...

By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato A lot has changed since world leaders last met in person at the United Nations General Assembly: a global pandemic, a looming food crisis, economic stress, climate disasters – and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This week’s 77th session of the General Assembly coincides with Ukraine making impressive military gains against Russian forces. But right on cue, Russian president Vladimir Putin has unveiled a new strategy: annexation. Russia-backed officials in the self-styled people’s republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, both of which Putin recognized as independent just before his tanks crossed...