New America Experts on Russia’s War in Ukraine

Experts from New America comment on the role that Russian private military contractors are playing in Ukraine.

Experts from New America's Future of Land and Housing Program discuss housing, land, and property rights in war-torn Ukraine.

New America experts Candace Rondeaux and Ben Dalton discuss who Russia's oligarchs are, their role in Russian politics, and what new international sanctions will mean for them and for the war in Ukraine.

New America’s experts are tracking the harmful effects of the war for civilians – and the international community’s response.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be fought online as well as on the battlefield. New America’s experts are closely tracking the information war in Russia, Ukraine, and here at home.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may constitute a crime of aggression, sometimes called the “supreme international crime” because it unleashes all the horrors of war. If so, many in Russia’s top leadership could potentially face prosecution in international courts. One piece of evidence that could help establish Russia’s culpability is signs that commanders pre-positioned mercenary contingents near—and possibly within—Ukraine in the weeks before February 24. Often referred to as the Wagner Group, these private military and security companies are core to Russia’s military strategy and now play pivotal roles in the current war.

What will happen to the properties that millions of Ukrainians are leaving behind, and the countless buildings that are being shelled into rubble? When the day comes for Ukrainians to return and rebuild, how will they reclaim the homes still standing, or receive compensation for the houses that have been destroyed?

Experts from New America and the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomic Center discuss how the financial crackdown will affect Russia’s economic titans and the places they have secreted their wealth.

How does the Russian public navigate between the unavoidable official story of state-backed media, a yearning for more independent information, and the ongoing erosion of spaces (even if just digital ones) where people can congregate to share gossip, grouse, or even organize? And how will the astonishing events of the past two weeks permanently alter the Russian internet?

The expanded Russian invasion raises significant questions about the humanitarian toll and potential responses, the stability of the international system, the causes and motivations behind Russia’s actions, and the future of Ukraine.