白小姐论坛

白小姐论坛's School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES), which is one of the UK's largest institutions for research and teaching on Russia, the Baltics, and Central, Eastern and South-East Europe, has collated听expert commentary and resources surrounding the ongoing war in Ukraine, which are available in the听SSEES on Ukraine: Resource Hub here.听

Based in the Department of Political Science at 白小姐论坛, the Conflict & Change group, founded in 2015, contributes to the scientific understanding of political violence. They have collated their thoughts , on the war in Ukraine to try and make sense of the tragic events by drawing on research they have done in and on Russia and Ukraine, on conflict dynamics, and on foreign policy and international organisations.

Experts from across 白小姐论坛 have also shared their thoughts and analyses on the 白小姐论坛 Europe Blog 听补苍诲 .

Here, we feature the work of 白小姐论坛 colleagues across multiple disciplines, who are providing critical commentary across the globe about the war in Ukraine and its impact through numerous appearances on TV radio, print and online news sources.

For information on how we are听supporting听staff and students affected by the war in Ukraine, please visit this page.

• Russian elite surprised by Ukraine invasion:听鈥淲e know that many members of the Russian elite were shocked by the 24 February invasion鈥� and that many 鈥渢hought that Vladimir Putin was engaging in brinksmanship, rather than sincerely preparing for war," said Professor Ben Noble (School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听

• Putin鈥檚 Kremlin regime 鈥榰nder serious threat for first time鈥�:听Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) believes the war in Ukraine has 鈥渢urned into a disaster鈥� and 鈥渆very is looking for other people to blame鈥�.听

• Putin: The indispensable tsar:听Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) discusses Putin鈥檚 carefully crafted image and how his attitudes to both the Ukraine and the west have defined his rule.听

• Do a majority of Russians support the Ukraine war?:听Honorary Senior Research Associate Vladimir Pastukhov (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies)听says that the Russian people 鈥渄on鈥檛 want to hear any information which says something different than propaganda,鈥� about the war in Ukraine.听

• Opinion: Russia鈥檚 best and brightest are fleeing Putin:听The Russians with the most talent, resources and skills are heading overseas while they still can, says Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听 More: 白小姐论坛 News

• Opinion: A circular firing squad is forming in the Kremlin and the guns are pointed at each other:听Vladimir Putin's regime looks under serious threat for the first time since he came to power, writes Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听, More: 白小姐论坛 News

• The father of Russia鈥檚 Oligarchs won鈥檛 be the last to go:听Anatoly Chubais has left Russia behind in the highest-level defection so far, but arguable to most expected of the high-level defections, says Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听,听

• Russian security council expected to show loyalty and support to Putin no matter what:听The way Putin treated his advisors ahead of invading Ukraine was like a 鈥渢sar at his court rather than any kind of a consultative government,鈥� says Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听

• Is there a stalemate between Ukraine and Russia?:听Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) says there is 鈥渁n overall stalemate with all kinds of fighting happening along the various frontlines.鈥澨�

• Why Putin keeps his family a secret:听Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) says Putin鈥檚 blackout on any mention of his family 鈥渃ouldn鈥檛 be a bigger contrast with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky鈥�.听

• Getting inside the mind of Vladimir Putin: Honorary Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic and East European Studies) describes how Vladimir Putin views Ukraine, 鈥淣ot an independent sovereign nation, but a treacherous Russian territory that has betrayed its Motherland and must be punished.鈥澨�

• Calls for creation of new international tribunal to investigate Putin: Professor Philippe Sands (白小姐论坛 Laws) says there is a gap in the crimes being investigated and the Crime of Aggression can鈥檛 currently be investigated by the international criminal court.听

• Supporting displaced Ukrainian academics: 白小姐论坛 is providing 拢250,000, in conjunction with a matching philanthropic donation, to create a fellowship for academics displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.听

• Putin wants to be remembered as restoring the Russian Empire: When Vladimir Putin talks with historians, he always asks how history might view him, says Honorary Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic and East European Studies).听

• What does the 鈥淶鈥� mean?: Professor Aglaya Snetkov (白小姐论坛 School of Slavic and Eastern European Studies) says while many supporters of Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine display the letter Z because it鈥檚 "intimidating and very powerful," that doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean they鈥檙e using it as a fascist symbol.听

• Putin鈥檚 war hits NHS front line: The NHS is facing greater pressure due to Ukrainian refugees arriving in the UK and ensuring accurate health records of those entering the country should be the 鈥渉ighest possible priority鈥� says Professor David Katz (白小姐论坛 Infection & Immunity).听

• Over 1000 people feared dead in Mariupol theatre bombing: Dr Aglaya Snetkov (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) discusses the current negotiations between Ukraine and Russia and the prospects for a ceasefire.听

• What could a peace deal look like between Russia and Ukraine?: Dr Aglaya Snetkov (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) and Dr Julie Norman (白小姐论坛 Political Science) discuss what compromises might be possible and what would be required for peace to be brokered between Russia and Ukraine.听

• Russia鈥檚 fake claim about Ukrainian bioweapons: Dr Rasmus Nilsson (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & Eastern European Studies) says the claim plays into Russia鈥檚 story about Ukraine being a rogue state. Some media in America, he adds, seem to adopt any narrative 鈥渢hat challenges those established by the current US administration".听

• Opinion: Is Russia becoming a dictatorship?: Putin may want to be a modern-day Soviet commissar but the rise of the internet and the willingness of the Russian people to challenge the state means it prove to be very difficult, says Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).

• Opinion: The West needs to prepare for guerrilla war in Ukraine: The West has pledged its support to Ukraine with promises of weapons and other aid but now it needs to consider exactly what this means, says Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).

• Opinion: Talk of a diplomatic solution between Russia and Ukraine is in the air:听Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) explains what a deal to end the bloodshed may look like.

• Could Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine fuel the spread of Covid: Professor Francois Balloux (白小姐论坛 Genetics Institute) comments on how the war in Ukraine could have an impact on rates of Covid-19 and other infectious diseases.听

• Russian attack on military base may be sending a message to Nato: Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) comments on Russia鈥檚 attack on a military base near the Polish border, saying Vladimir Putin is sending a message to Nato, signalling frustration about arms shipments from western countries.听

• How Putin could be removed from power 鈥� and who would replace him: It鈥檚 hard to envisage Russia鈥檚 leader stepping down, but a coup from within the corridors of the Kremlin may force the issue, writes Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听,听

• What Putin did before he came to power: Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) helps explore Putin鈥檚 past, where he鈥檚 come from, what he鈥檚 lived through and what he鈥檚 done.听

• Potential repercussions for Russian TV protestor: Dr Brian Klaas (白小姐论坛 School of European Languages, Culture & Society) said that the 鈥渃onsequences will be severe鈥� for Marina Ovsyannikova after she protested live on air.听

• Who is Segei Lavrov?: Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) questions why Lavrov hasn鈥檛 resigned and says he has been a 鈥渄ecidedly secondary character鈥� for 鈥渜uite a while鈥�.听

• How Putin is controlling the narrative over his invasion of Ukraine: Prior to the invasion not much effort was put into preparing the Russian public for the war but they鈥檝e since 鈥渞amped it up massively,鈥� says Dr Aglaya Snetkov (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听

• Why are women leading Putin鈥檚 propaganda war?:听Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) said that propaganda roles may have been left to women as 鈥渢hey are less prestigious than the big internal jobs.鈥澨�,

• Can we trust polls coming out of Russia?:听Dr Katerina Tertytchnaya (白小姐论坛 Political Science) discusses the quality of polling information coming out of Russia and whether it is representative of public opinion.听

• Britain must heed the lessons of history and let in Ukrainian refugees:听Academics from multiple institutions, including Professor Heather Jones (白小姐论坛 History), have called on the government to relax the rules of entry for Ukrainian refugees who are 鈥渇leeing from an unlawful war of aggression鈥�.听听

• How Russian mothers could change the course of the war:听Soldier鈥檚 mothers are 鈥渂astions of civil society in Russia, and they tend to atrophy and then regalvanise every time there鈥檚 a war, making them a very effective pain the Kremlin鈥檚 collective backside,鈥� says Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European studies).听

• Vladimir Putin鈥檚 goodbye will be a long one:听Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) said that there is no modern equivalent of the politburo, which enabled Nikita Khrushchev to be removed in 1964.听, ,

• Vladimir Putin's dream has become a nightmare:听How long before Putin's generals start thinking the only way out of this mess is to get rid of the man who created it, asks Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies). , More: 白小姐论坛 News

• 白小姐论坛 announces support for students amid Ukraine war:听白小姐论坛 President & Provost Dr Michael Spence announced a package of support for students from affected regions, while also calling for tolerance.听

• Why Putin is now considering a peace treaty:听Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) said that Putin鈥檚 plan to claim Kyiv within two days and the rest of Ukraine within two weeks has descended into a 鈥渘ightmare鈥�.听

• Why the Z has become a symbol of support for the Russian invasion:听The spread of 鈥淶鈥� in Russia is not just due to the spontaneity of social media,鈥� warns Dr Aglaya Snetkov (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies). 鈥淚t has also been driven by the regime鈥�.听, , 听,

• Why are anti-war protests continuing in Russia?:听Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) says that Russia is still coming to terms with what has happened in Ukraine but there is an encouraging current of people who are coming out to protest despite the repercussions.听

• What is Vladimir Putin鈥檚 next move?:听With Putin鈥檚 troops bogged down in firefights and Russia increasingly facing economic collapse as a result of sanctions, Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) discusses what his next move might be.听

• Could failure topple another Russian government?:听Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) is 鈥渟ceptical of claims that Putin will soon be deposed in a palace coup 鈥� or that the existing elite could be removed by mass protests.鈥澨�

• Russia under Putin:听Dr Katerina Tertychnaya (白小姐论坛 Political Science) speaks about Putin鈥檚 popularity and a turning point in Russian popular protest.听

• US denounces 鈥榠ncreasingly brutal鈥� Russian invasion:听Professor Philippe Sands (白小姐论坛 Law) discusses NATOs stance on a no-fly zone over Ukraine and the plight of children suffering from cancer in the war-torn country.听

• Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos eye Russia鈥檚 place in space:听Professor Serge Plattard (白小姐论坛 Office of the Vice-Provost (Research)) says there is a risk that Russia will turn towards China for a space alliance, with its own stations and lunar programmes.听

• What does big oil鈥檚 Russia exit mean from climate change?:听Shell PLC and TotalEnergies SE are among European companies that may see the crisis as an opportunity to expand their low-carbon investments, said Professor Michael Grubb (白小姐论坛 Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources).听

• Possible ways to end the war in Ukraine:听Dr Aglaya Snetkov (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) analyses how to end the invasion, from diplomacy to assassination.听听,

• Why is Russia sheeling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant:听Professor Andrew Wilson (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) said that the attack on the nuclear power station could be an attempt to cut off the Ukrainian population from their services.听

• Could Putin end up at a tribunal?:听Legal experts, including Professor Philippe Sands (白小姐论坛 Laws) are demanding that the UK and other countries join Ukraine to grant jurisdiction to a dedicated criminal tribunal to investigate both the perpetrators of the crime of aggression and those complicit in that crime.听, , ,

• Cyber warfare between Russia and Ukraine:听Professor Madeline Carr (白小姐论坛 Computer Science) discusses how cyberattacks and information warfare can be used between Russia and Ukraine, saying that Russia is the cybercrime capital of the world, but it can be difficult to distinguish between private and government actors.听

• Is the Russian army targeting Ukrainian civilians?:听Professor Philippe Sands (白小姐论坛 Laws) says that, from day one, the 鈥渃onsistent and regular reports of civilian objectives being targeted鈥� are on a scale that suggests that this is maybe intentional.听

• Opinion: Putin鈥檚 use of military force is a crime of aggression:听The Russian leader鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine poses a grave challenge, and one that sanctions and financial measures alone cannot address, says Professor Philippe Sands (白小姐论坛 Laws).听, More: 白小姐论坛 News, , ,

• Opinion: Russian opposition to Ukraine invasion is giving Putin cause for alarm:听What domestic opposition is Russia's political leadership facing following its invasion of Ukraine? Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) writes about this, and what it means for Vladimir Putin.听, More: 白小姐论坛 News

• Opinion: Poland and Hungary toe EU line in face of Russian aggression:听It has suddenly become harder for both countries to reject union norms on rule of law, says Professor Ronan McCrea (白小姐论坛 Laws):听, More: 白小姐论坛 News

• Putin鈥檚 past actions point to his sharpening authoritarianism:听There is debate over here the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a foreseeable event that could have been predicted but Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) says that 鈥渋t wasn鈥檛 obvious鈥�.听,

• 白小姐论坛 helps with donations for Ukraine:听白小姐论坛鈥檚 School of Slavonic & East European Studies, alongside SOAS World Development Society are organising a donation drive to Lviv, Ukraine.听,

• Putin鈥檚 miscalculation in Ukraine could lead to his downfall:听Politically speaking, Putin鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine did not make sense, and could in fact come to represent the 鈥渟tart of the end of Putinism鈥�, says Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听

• Who is in Putin鈥檚 inner circle and running the war?:听Dr Ben Noble and Professor Mark Galeotti听(both 白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) give their听opinion on Putin鈥檚 loyal entourage, including Nikolai Patrushev, Alexander Bortinikov and Sergei Naryshkin.听

• Could the international criminal court bring Putin to justice over Ukraine?:听Professor Philippe Sands (白小姐论坛 Laws) has called for the creation of a dedicated international criminal tribunal to investigate Putin and his acolytes for the crime of aggression, which he believes is the offence most befitting Russia鈥檚 acts in Ukraine.听

• Opinion: Let us show ordinary Russians what freedom looks lik.听Visa-free visits and student bursaries would undermine Putin鈥檚 police state, writes Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies). , More: 白小姐论坛 News

• Five strategic mistakes of Putin and their main consequences for Russia:听Honorary Senior Research Associate Vladimir Pastukhov (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) outlines Putin鈥檚 errors in invading Ukraine, from misjudging the potential of the Ukrainian army to underestimating the international reaction.听

• Opinion: What do the people of Ukraine want?: The Ukrainian people do not want war, but the vast majority feel a strong connection to their home country, writes Professor Kristin Bakke (白小姐论坛 Political Science). More: 白小姐论坛 News

• How to help children understand what is happening in Ukraine:听鈥淐hildren are constantly absorbing the things they read, see and hear and it is quite natural for them to understand the situation in Ukraine, to feel anxious and to ask questions about what is going on,鈥� says Professor Vivian Hill (IOE, 白小姐论坛鈥檚 Institute of Education & Society).听

• How Russia made a clear violation of international law:听鈥淗aving watched the missile that hit the city square in Kharkiv, there is no conceivable basis for a missile to be targeted on that building鈥� and, as a result, it is a 鈥渨ar crime鈥� says Professor Philippe Sands (白小姐论坛 Laws).听

• What could happen next in Ukraine?:听Professor Andrew Wilson (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) answers readers鈥� questions about the war in Ukraine and predicts what the future might hold.听,

• Viktor Orban has played a perfect game with Putin:听鈥淥rban is not a deep thinker but he understand where power comes from and how power in the region works, writes Dr Thomas Lorman (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听

• Opinion: A bunch of thugs so vicious they filmed themselves setting fire to a Syrian army deserter: Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) gives his opinion on the mercenary squad 鈥榯asked with assassinating Zelensky and 23 other Ukrainian leaders鈥�. , More: 白小姐论坛 News

• Is the war with Ukraine the beginning of the end of Putinism?:听Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) discusses the latest in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, what miscalculations Putin has made so far and why so many experts failed to predict the scale of the conflict.听

• Would Putin follow through with his nuclear threat?:听鈥淧utin is playing a bit on the crazy. The theory goes that if people think I am mad enough to use them then that plays to my advantage,鈥� says Professor Andrew Wilson (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听

• Could Putin be a new tsar?:听Putin has regularly been referred to as a tsar but Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) says that 鈥淧utin is the leader of a personalist authoritarian regime鈥� and 鈥渉e is a dictator鈥�.听

• How Ukraine was born and its historical links with Russia:听Professor Andrew Wilson (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) says that it is important to see Ukraine, both its territory and its identity, as more of a 鈥渟hifting puzzle鈥� than a coherent unit.听

• Gun battles in Kyiv:听Dr Julie Norman (白小姐论坛 Political Science) discusses the developing situation in Ukraine, a gun battle on the streets of Kyiv and how thousands of people are trying to flee to safety.听, ,

• European and Russian scientists will not stop working together on major Mars mission:听鈥淚t鈥檚 a very difficult and regrettable situation at the moment on the ground of course but in space we have very good working relationships with our Russian colleagues and that鈥檚 continuing,鈥� says Professor Andrew Coates (白小姐论坛 Space & Climate Physics).听

• Opinion: Isolated, paranoid, deluded. But Vladimir Putin isn't a mad despot - he's evil:听Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) considers Putin鈥檚 endgame and says he may be deluded about his invasion of Ukraine.听 More: 白小姐论坛 News

• Opinion: Is Vladimir Putin mad, brilliant or somewhere in between?:听After 20 years in power, Russia鈥檚 leader appears to be channelling his inner Bond villain to the extreme, says Professor Mark Galeotti (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听 More: 白小姐论坛 News

• The history behind Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine:听Professor Philippe Sands (白小姐论坛 Laws) says Ukraine is a 鈥渃omplex鈥� country that 鈥渢ravels East and West鈥� and that this 鈥渋s the heart of the problem.鈥�听

• Kiev or Kyiv? The politics behind a war-torn name:听鈥淜yiv is a transliteration from the letters of the Ukrainian alphabet, whereas Kiev is a transliteration from the Russian,鈥� says Professor Andrew Wilson (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听,

• How Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine is likely to increase London food prices and energy bills:听Professor Mark Galeotti and Professor Andrew Wilson (both 白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) discuss how the situation in Ukraine is likely to hit energy prices, food prices and potentially cause cyber-attacks in London.听

• Ukraine-Russia crisis: What鈥檚 Putin鈥檚 next move?:听Honorary Senior Research Associate, Vladimir Pastukhov (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) says that Putin 鈥渉as an almost religious belief of his special place in history鈥� and 鈥渉e will cook the meat on a slow fire.鈥�,

• What happens now Russia has 鈥榠nvaded鈥� Ukraine?:听Russian troops entering Ukraine 鈥渃ould be the beginning of something much larger or the peak point of something that鈥檚 been building quite a while,鈥� says Dr Julie Norman (白小姐论坛 Political Science).听,听

• Opinion: Russia may be about to invade Ukraine. Russians don鈥檛 want it to:听Surveys show that for Putin, invading Ukraine comes with political risk at home, writes Dr Katerina Tertytchanaya (白小姐论坛 Political Science), alongside academics from George Washington University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Cornell University.听 More: 白小姐论坛 News

• What Putin鈥檚 comically long table tells us about Russia鈥檚 inner workings:听Fears about Putin getting seriously ill likely played a part in the decision to distance the leaders with a long table, according to Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies).听

• For Putin, disquiet is the new quiet:听Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 SSEES) has argued that Putin is often wrongly perceived as a 鈥渙ne-man show,鈥� when many constituencies are involved.听,听

• Russians don鈥檛 want Putin to invade Ukraine:听Surveys show that for Putin, invading Ukraine comes with political risk at home, say academics from various institutions including Dr Katerina Tertychnaya (白小姐论坛 Political Science).听

• Why Putin keeps his distance from world leaders:听Dr Ben Noble (白小姐论坛 School of Slavonic & East European Studies) believes that Putin may keep a distance from other leaders as the Kremlin is nervous about the possibility of him contracting Covid 鈥� mainly due to the political fallout if he were to fall seriously ill or die.听

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