A scholar of Russian history breaks down what Putin’s aim might be in threatening military invasion, and why that might backfire.
Commercial satellite companies provide views once reserved for governments, like this image of a Russian military training facility in Crimea.
Satellite image (c) 2021 Maxar Technologies via Getty Images
National security professionals and armchair sleuths alike are taking advantage of vast amounts of publicly available information and software tools to monitor geopolitical events around the world.
The Biden administration hopes the threat of harsh sanctions from a united West will deter Putin from invading Ukraine. But Russia has a long history of using energy to divide the US and Europe.
If diplomatic efforts cannot avert further conflict between Ukraine and Russia, a dramatic shift in international relations could occur that would have huge consequences for NATO.
Palestinian artists draw a mural of hunger striker Hisham Abu Hawash.
MOHAMMED ABED/AFP via Getty Images
Nayan Shah, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
The power of the hunger strike lies in its utter simplicity. Anyone can choose to forego eating, even when living under extremely restricted conditions.
Europe relies on Russia for about 40% of its natural gas.
Victoria Viper B/Shutterstock
Plus, the Beijing Winter Olympics are using 100% artificial snow: what does that mean for the environment, and the athletes? Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast.
It remains to be seen what the reset of the relations between the two countries will actually mean for the rest of the world.
An Orthodox priest takes part in a rally in protest against an official visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople to Kyiv in August 2021.
Anna Marchenko\TASS via Getty Images
The current split in Ukrainian Orthodoxy reflects a fundamental question: Are Ukrainians and Russians one people or two separate nations?
Russian President Vladimir Putin walks through a hall in the building housing Russia’s GRU military intelligence service.
Dmitry Astakhov, Sputnik, Government Pool Photo via AP
Maggie Smith, United States Military Academy West Point
Troop buildups and diplomatic negotiations highlight the threat of a major land war in Europe. In cyberspace, Russia has been attacking Ukrainian infrastructure and government operations for years.
Ukraine has been subjected to Russian interference and hybrid warfare since its independence in 1991. The current troop build-up on its borders is just the latest example.
A US soldier at a training area in Germany.
Christof Stache/AFP via Getty Images
What’s the significance of the US beefing up its military presence in Europe? The Conversation provides a roundup of articles addressing the crisis in Ukraine.
A Ukrainian serviceman, seen through a camouflage mesh, stands at a frontline position in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, in January 2022.
(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
The risk to Ukraine’s democracy currently lies with the politicians who have offshore assets that can be massaged and altered from Moscow or elsewhere. Preventing this is essential.