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2022-03-25
Pew Research Center;
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created one of the biggest refugee crises of modern times. A month into the war, more than 3.7 million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries – the sixth-largest refugee outflow over the past 60-plus years, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of United Nations data.
2022-03-05
Institute for the Study of War;
The Russian military is a hybrid format combining a traditional cadre-and-reserve conscript system and a contract-professional system. While the Russian Army has made efforts to professionalize its ranks, particularly in the last 15 years, it remains reliant on conscripts, both for its active-duty force and for its reserve forces in the event of general mobilization. Most combat units must be filled out by conscripts or mobilized reservists in order to be combat-capable. Contract soldiers are concentrated in the cadre and elite units, especially the airborne units.The cadre-and-reserve units of the Russian Armed Forces are maintained at a low readiness with a limited number of professional staff and conscripts, with the expectation that they would be staffed with reservists in the event of mobilization.2 The Russians have already used many cadre-and-reserve units in Ukraine, and they have not performed well against the Ukrainians, with some units suffering heavy losses. Russia does not likely have a large reserve of highly skilled contract units remaining, although there are probably some uncommitted forces.
2022-03-22
Amnesty International;
This document outlines Amnesty International's main concerns and recommendations in view of the 24-25 March European Council discussion on the crisis in Ukraine.Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a manifest violation of the United Nations Charter and an act of aggression that is a crime under international law. One month since the invasion, Amnesty International has documented an escalating pattern of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law, with catastrophic consequences for the Ukrainian people and the entire civilian population.
2022-03-07
International Medical Corps;
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a "special military operation" in Ukraine, invading the neighboring nation in an attack that has been condemned by world leaders. Missile attacks and explosions have been reported throughout Ukraine, with military troops invading from three sides of the country. Since the start of the invasion, at least 364 civilians have been killed, including 14 children, and 1,684 people have been wounded, including 116 children. However, UN OHCHR believes these numbers to be much higher, as casualties in some areas remain undercounted.According to UN OCHA, the attempted evacuation of civilians from the southeast regions of Mariupol and Volnovaka was postponed after being scheduled for March 5. The attempted safe passage of those who remain trapped was thwarted by increasing attacks along the evacuation route, despite assurances of cooperation with a ceasefire. A second humanitarian corridor was planned for March 6, but did not materialize due to similar circumstances. Additional evacuation routes are being urgently explored, along with a possible humanitarian corridor out of Kharkiv in northern Ukraine. Though more than 1.7 million Ukrainians have fled the country, many remain and are in desperate need of food, water and medicine. Affected populations have been unable to receive relief due to the military attacks in and around various cities. Thirty trucks with humanitarian relief supplies remain unable to deliver provisions, as there is no way to safely reach people.
2022-02-25
Heritage Foundation;
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine a second time in eight years. A sovereign Ukraine is necessary for overall European stability, which is in U.S. and NATO interests. The U.S. and NATO must do all they can, short of deploying troops to Ukraine, to help the Ukrainians fight back against Putin's raw aggression. Should Ukraine fall, Putin is unlikely to stop there. In many ways, the viability of the transatlantic community will be decided in Ukraine.
2022-03-15
European Network Against the Arms Trade (ENAAT);
At the time of writing in March 2022, a war has broken out in eastern Europe following the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops. Towards the end of 2021 unrest in the Balkans came close to boiling point. Tensions in the South China Sea continue to simmer and threaten regional and global stability. Wars and violence continue in Afghanistan, in Central Africa, Iraq, several countries across the Sahel, Syria, and Yemen among other countries and regions experiencing constant violence and consequent displacement. Some of the world's most powerful nations are sabre-rattling, drafting and deploying troops, stockpiling military materiel, and actively preparing for war – including the European Union (EU) and some of its member states. Contrary to the EU's founding principle of promoting peace, it too has been charting a course to establish itself as a global military power. History has shown, however, that far from contributing to stability and peace, militarism fuels tension, instability, destruction and devastation.In a 'watershed moment', in response to the war in Ukraine, the EU announced that it would, for the first time, fund and supply lethal weapons to a country under attack through the European Peace Facility (EPF). While this move is unprecedented, it is not unexpected. The EU has been pursuing a military path since the entry in to force of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009, which provides the legal underpinning to create a common security and defence policy. Less than a decade later, in a new point of departure, the EU created specific budget lines to allocate funding to military-related projects. This decision firmly set the EU on a new and deeply worrying trajectory, where international political and social problems were to be addressed not only through dialogue and diplomacy, but also through the threat of military solutions.
2022-02-14
Heritage Foundation;
It is in America's interest that Ukraine remain independent and sovereign and maintain the ability to choose its own destiny without outside interference. While the success of Ukraine will rest in large part on the shoulders of Ukrainians themselves, U.S. leadership is essential for counteracting Russian aggression and supporting Ukraine. The U.S. should seize the opportunity to move quickly and robustly to reaffirm American commitment and support to the people of Ukraine. In turn, both America and its allies will be safer.
2022-03-01
Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation;
On February 28, 2022, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States confirmed that Russia had used a "vacuum bomb," killing 70 soldiers, as part of its illegal invasion of Ukraine. Two days prior, CNN reported that Russian TOS-1 rocket launchers, which can launch up to 30 rockets armed with thermobaric warheads, were mobilized in eastern Ukraine. Thermobaric weapons have been described as the biggest non-nuclear bomb, but there is a massive leap in the destructive power to a weapon of mass destruction.
2022-03-07
Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI);
The twenty-first century is now being shaped by a multipolar system characterized by techno-nationalism and a post-Bretton Woods order. In the face of a rapidly evolving digital era, international cooperation will be critical to ensuring peace and security. Information sharing, expert conferences and multilateral dialogue can help the world's nation-states and their militaries develop a better understanding of one another's capabilities and intentions. As a global middle power, Canada could be a major partner in driving this effort. This paper explores the development of military-specific capabilities in the context of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Building on Canadian defence policy, the paper outlines the military applications of AI and the resources needed to manage next-generation military operations, including multilateral engagement and technology governance.
2022-05-18
International Medical Corps;
The primary objectives of this rapid MHPSS situational analysis are to:understand the perceived and identified sources of psychosocial distress among community members affected by the war in Ukraine (with special focus on International Medical Corps' areas of operation);identify key needs for MHPSS services, traditional ways of coping, help-seeking behaviors and barriers to accessing support services;determine existing MHPSS actors and services, as well as gaps in services; andshare recommendations for MHPSS programming as a part of the humanitarian response, and advocate for increased investment in MHPSS activities and services in Ukraine.
2022-05-25
International Medical Corps;
In the last three months, we have provided more than 2.9 million people in Ukraine, Poland and Moldova with critically needed supplies and health servicesSupporting 33 health facilities and 17 refugee and internally displaced persons (IDP) centersDelivered 212 tons of medical consumables and pharmaceuticals, such as antibiotics and medicines for noncommunicable diseases, pediatric patients and surgery and traumaProcured and distributed nearly 16,000 health, hygiene, protection and COVID-19 testing kitsTrained nearly 370 first responders on topics including PFA and psychosocial support servicesConducted 2,977 health consultationsConducted 307 MHPSS consultations
2022-06-08
HIAS;
The war in Ukraine has led to the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, and one of the fastest large-scale displacements in history.The international community has provided an unprecedented level of support to people fleeing Ukraine, but despite this response, vulnerable populations are at risk.In this policy brief HIAS examines the serious protection risks that certain groups -- women and girls; unaccompanied and separated children; LGBTQ individuals; people with disabilities; and non-Ukrainian refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons -- are experiencing. HIAS recommends ways the EU, U.S., and UN agencies can address these gaps, including funding local civil society organizations and increasing efforts to combat trafficking, exploitation, and abuse.
