What Russia Wants In Ukraine

Since 2014, the Russian military has fought a war against Ukraine, annexed the Crimean peninsula, supported seperatist forces in the Donbas, and used cyber attacks to destabilize Ukrainian government services. On February 22, Russia commenced a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, intensifying a war that has already cost more than 14,000 lives. Amidst the uncertainty of the situation, we examine why Russian dictator Vladimir Putin sought to destabilize Ukraine and started the largest war in Europe since 1945. Our guest this week is Molly McKew, a writer and researcher of Russian influence and information warfare. She is the lead author of greatpower.us, which explores what great power competition looks like in an era of asymmetric warfare and hybrid influence. Her articles have appeared in Politico, Wired, The Washington Post, Lawfare, and other publications. She is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service, where she teaches Russian hybrid warfare. This podcast was recorded before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.