Restrictions on Ukraine’s use of weapons should include the laws of war. And nothing more.

What happens in Russia when thousands of conscripts return from war with a sense of betrayal and a penchant for violence? History predicts everything goes bang - unless Putin can bring them on board. My debut piece for New Statesman. newstatesman.com/international-…

Conscript soldiers probably won't organize a revolution or depose Putin. But a society saddled with a large group of violence mongers, even if they are sympathetic to the state's extreme nationalism, is going to be explosive.

As always, interesting work by Niginakhon Saida 🦋 on religion & secularism in Uzbekistan, for The Diplomat.

Agree 100%. If we're committed to a Ukraine that is whole, free, and at peace, then we should let them defend that future with everything they've got. And then we should give them more.

If Putin really believed his propaganda about Russians and Ukrainians being part of the same culture, he wouldn’t be systematically trying to loot, defile, and destroy Ukrainian cultural heritage.

Meet the Palianytsia: Everything we know about Ukraine’s new homegrown ‘drone-missile’ — and Kyiv’s plans to use it on Russian territory — Meduza meduza.io/en/feature/202…

Neighbors at the lake house are blasting Vysotskiy karaoke at max volume, and I am LOVING it!

Plov cooked over an open fire by the lake has become something of a Labor Day tradition in our family. This one was a big milestone for me: first time without measuring - just cooking by feel, sound, smell, and taste. And it turned out perfect. Not bad for being self-taught! 🇺🇿

Another reason why peace settlement in Ukraine is a distant dream. Russia continues to militarize/nationalize/radicalize its youth. Durable peace would require them to accept the legitimacy of a sovereign Ukrainian state and nation. Russia’s brainwashed will never embrace peace.

Our cadets inspire me with their unwavering commitment to serve the Nation. Listen to their sense of duty, discipline, and teamwork as they focus on becoming the next generation of Army leaders. 🇺🇸

I can’t begin to comprehend the pain of losing one’s entire family in the blink of an eye. And I can’t comprehend why we continue to pursue a policy that provides de-facto missile defense to the Russian military bases that launched this attack. Let Ukraine strike back!

If the West allows Putin's nuclear blackmail to succeed in Ukraine, it will set a disastrous precedent. Many countries will note Western inaction and conclude that they are no longer safe without nukes of their own. This is a recipe for a nuclear arms race atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainea…

12 percent of classroom time in Russia now being devoted to indoctrination with state propaganda. Via ⁦Meduza in English⁩:

It is often said that public support for Russia's imperial wars is concentrated among older Russians nostalgic for the Soviet past. However, with propaganda in Russian schools now reaching unprecedented levels, the next generation of Russians are likely to just as imperialistic

Russia is using North Korean missiles against Ukraine with impunity. The West neither provides adequate air defences nor allows Ukraine to strike targets in Russia. These are unnecessary, self-imposed restraints. They belie the cheap, honeyed words: “we stand with Ukraine”.

New all-time high for Italy's exports to Kyrgyzstan in May 2024. This puts Italy's exports 2200% above where they were before Russia invaded Ukraine. You don't have to be a genius to know this stuff is going to Russia. Two years of this nonsense and the EU just looks away...

Putin has no desire to end this war until he’s brought Ukraine to its knees with unconditional surrender. Will we let him succeed? Watch my latest interview on why pressure on Ukraine to negotiate with the devil in the Kremlin is downright dangerous.

The Russia Program's Global Academy (GWU, Georgetown, and American U) offers short-term non-residential fellowships (up to 6 months) and provides support for conference travel and publishing to Russian scholars in exile. Apply by Friday, September 20. therussiaprogram.org/therussianacad…