After more than two and a half years in Ukraine, it is time to take stock. Russia’s all-out war against Ukraine has so far been marked by Russian failures and massive military losses. In particular, the Russian army has proved far less reformed and professionalised than most Western analysts and think tanks had assumed. The same is true of the Russian air force and navy. Russian logistics have failed miserably. The training side has also failed – at least judging by the numerous reports of elementary tactical and operational mistakes made by Russian forces. Moreover, the short-lived mutiny by the Wagner group in June 2023 has cast doubt on the stability of the Putin regime.

More recently, there have been reports of increased Russian adaptation to battlefield problems at the tactical level. This has left many wondering just how strong the Russian armed forces really are – and how the threat from Russia should be assessed.

To answer these and many other questions, we have invited some of the leading experts in the field.

Programme

13.00-13.15: Welcome

Niels Bo Poulsen, Director, Institute for Strategy and War Studies, Royal Danish Defence College (RDDC)

13.15-13.45: Taking stock of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the West: The First Two and a Half Years

Mark Galeotti, Honorary Professor, University College London (Confirmed)

13.45-14.05: Russian military adaptation: To what extent are Russia’s armed forces learning from the war in Ukraine and what does this mean for NATO?

Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) (Confirmed)

14.05-14.20: Break

14.20-14.40: The High North after Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Military Signalling and East-West Interaction

Kristian Åtland, Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Defense Research Establishment, FFI. (Confirmed)

14.40-15.00: How should northern European NATO-members respond to the threat from Russia?

Tormod Heier, Professor, Norwegian Defence University College, (Confirmed)

15.00-16.00: Q&A

Chair: Jørgen Staun, Associate Professor, Institute for Strategy and War Studies, Royal Danish Defence College (RDDC)

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