Analytics

All Articles

Cover: Ukraine’s kill zone: How drones ended trench warfare
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ukraine’s kill zone: How drones ended trench warfare

Abandon ideas of World War I — drones have turned the front lines into a different kind of hellscape.

Cover: Guerre en Ukraine : récit et enjeux de la chute de Pokrovsk, bientôt aux mains des Russes
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Guerre en Ukraine : récit et enjeux de la chute de Pokrovsk, bientôt aux mains des Russes

Pour comprendre les ressorts de cette bataille, et les conséquences de son issue qui approche, « Le Monde » s’appuie sur des images authentifiées des combats et a interrogé Mykola Bielieskov, chercheur au National Institute for Strategic Studies et analyste pour la fondation de soutien de l’armée ukrainienne Come Back Alive.

Cover: As Pokrovsk is set to fall, Ukraine must choose to fight or save troops
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

As Pokrovsk is set to fall, Ukraine must choose to fight or save troops

Pokrovsk has been a bastion of resistance, and Russia taking it would be a propaganda win, but experts say it is time to withdraw and save lives for future battles.

Cover: Surrender to save yourselves, Russia urges Ukrainian troops squeezed in key city
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Surrender to save yourselves, Russia urges Ukrainian troops squeezed in key city

Putin's forces have been battling to take Pokrovsk for more than a year, but now appear on the verge of a breakthrough with the front lines in the city increasingly blurred.

Cover: Nearly a year on, Ukraine army's shift to corps command struggles to deliver
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Nearly a year on, Ukraine army's shift to corps command struggles to deliver

Ukraine's move to a corps-based command structure aimed to boost military efficiency. Almost a year later, the promised improvements remain out of reach.

Cover: Ukraine War Equation: Small Shifts, Same Deadlock
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ukraine War Equation: Small Shifts, Same Deadlock

Mykola Bielieskov, Research Fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies in Kyiv and Senior Analyst at the CBA Initiatives Center, told The Baltic Sentinel that the Ukraine war equation has shifted slightly — the U.S. has gone from backer to mediator — but the fundamental problem persists, as Europe remains stuck in crisis management and Putin sees no reason to stop.

Cover: Mykola Bielieskov on Ukraine War Equation: Small Shifts, Same Deadlock
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Mykola Bielieskov on Ukraine War Equation: Small Shifts, Same Deadlock

The war equation has shifted slightly — the U.S. has gone from backer to mediator — but the fundamental problem persists, as Europe remains stuck in crisis management and Putin sees no reason to stop.

Cover: What is the Coalition of the Willing actually willing to do in Ukraine?‎  ‎‎‎
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

What is the Coalition of the Willing actually willing to do in Ukraine?‎ ‎‎‎

French President Emmanuel Macron announced last week that 26 nations have now committed to participating in a so-called “reassurance force” to help guarantee Ukraine’s security following the end of hostilities with Russia. Macron was speaking in Paris after hosting European colleagues from the Coalition of the Willing, a grouping of countries led by Britain and France that is attempting to spearhead efforts to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine.

Cover: What is the Coalition of the Willing actually willing to do in Ukraine?
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

What is the Coalition of the Willing actually willing to do in Ukraine?

French President Emmanuel Macron announced last week that 26 nations have now committed to participating in a so-called “reassurance force” to help guarantee Ukraine’s security following the end of hostilities with Russia. Macron was speaking in Paris after hosting European colleagues from the Coalition of the Willing, a grouping of countries led by Britain and France that is attempting to spearhead efforts to secure a lasting peace in Ukraine.

Cover: What Ukraine really needs from Europe is missiles that can hit Moscow
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

What Ukraine really needs from Europe is missiles that can hit Moscow

Allies are not offering real security guarantees, but a porcupine strategy could produce an agreement that lasts

Cover: What Ukraine really needs from Europe is missiles that can hit Moscow
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

What Ukraine really needs from Europe is missiles that can hit Moscow

Allies are not offering real security guarantees, but a porcupine strategy could produce an agreement that lasts.

Cover: Putin wants to capture Ukraine’s crucial fortress belt without a fight
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Putin wants to capture Ukraine’s crucial fortress belt without a fight

Putin wants to capture Ukraine’s crucial fortress belt without a fight

Cover: "Some of our partners still do not accept that this war will determine the future world order," – Mykola Bielieskov at the Crimean Platform Forum
  • News

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

"Some of our partners still do not accept that this war will determine the future world order," – Mykola Bielieskov at the Crimean Platform Forum

“Crimea is the center of gravity of this war: everything began with Crimea and must end with Crimea. Moreover, this is Russia's weakest point in this war.”

Cover: Putin wants to capture Ukraine’s crucial fortress belt without a fight
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Putin wants to capture Ukraine’s crucial fortress belt without a fight

Moscow is calling on Kyiv to unilaterally withdraw from the approximately one-third of Donetsk province that remains in Ukrainian hands as part of any peace deal. In other words, Putin aims to secure territory at the negotiating table that his army has been unable to conquer in more that three and a half years of full-scale war.

Cover: Ukrainian defenses face a challenge as Russian troops make gains ahead of the Putin-Trump summit
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ukrainian defenses face a challenge as Russian troops make gains ahead of the Putin-Trump summit

With tactics and technology roughly equal on both sides, the Russians’ superior manpower works to their advantage, said Bielieskov, the Kyiv-based analyst.

Cover: Breakthrough unlikely at Putin-Trump meeting as US, Russia, Ukraine differ on key issues
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Breakthrough unlikely at Putin-Trump meeting as US, Russia, Ukraine differ on key issues

Mykola Bielieskov, a research fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies and a senior analyst at Ukrainian NGO Come Back Alive, also said that "there is always a risk that Russia would try to promote its formulae of settlement."

Cover: Is the Ukraine-Russia War Entering Its Deep Battle Phase?
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Is the Ukraine-Russia War Entering Its Deep Battle Phase?

Before assessing the current state of the Russia-Ukraine war, it’s worth revisiting some theory and history.

Cover: US ambassador: China believes it is waging a proxy war through Russia
  • Article

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

US ambassador: China believes it is waging a proxy war through Russia

Recent reports of growing Chinese support for the Russian war effort are fuelling renewed speculation over what Beijing is hoping to achieve in Ukraine.

Cover: US ambassador: China believes it is waging a proxy war through Russia
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

US ambassador: China believes it is waging a proxy war through Russia

Recent reports of growing Chinese support for the Russian war effort are fuelling renewed speculation over what Beijing is hoping to achieve in Ukraine.

Cover: Putin’s escalating air offensive is overwhelming Ukraine’s defenses
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Putin’s escalating air offensive is overwhelming Ukraine’s defenses

The dramatic increase in Russian airstrikes has led to a sharp rise in Ukrainian civilian casualties in recent months, and is now threatening to overwhelm the country’s limited air defense capabilities.

Cover: Putin’s escalating air offensive is overwhelming Ukraine’s defenses
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Putin’s escalating air offensive is overwhelming Ukraine’s defenses

Russia’s escalating drone war is the latest chapter in an invasion that has been shaped by rapid technological development.

Cover: Russia hits Kyiv with deadliest attack of the year; G-7 avoids talk of Ukraine
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Russia hits Kyiv with deadliest attack of the year; G-7 avoids talk of Ukraine

Russia attacked multiple cities across Ukraine with 440 drones and 32 missiles, while Trump avoided committing to any new sanctions at the G-7 summit.

Cover: Ukraine braces for expected Russian summer offensive in the east
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ukraine braces for expected Russian summer offensive in the east

The warnings over the offensive come as a U.S.-brokered peace process has limped along with inconclusive meetings and little concrete results.

Cover: CER podcast: Unpacking Europe: Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

CER podcast: Unpacking Europe: Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine

Deputy director Ian Bond sits down with Mykola Bielieskov policy analyst at the National Institute for Strategic Studies & Senior Analyst at Come Back Alive and Olesya Khromeychuk director of the Ukrainian Institute London, to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine and the coalition of the willing and the influence of the US on negotiations.

Cover: Selbst Selenskijs beste Argumente nutzen sich ab
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Selbst Selenskijs beste Argumente nutzen sich ab

Selbst mit Wladimir Putin und Donald Trump am Tisch: Vom Ukraine-Gipfel in Istanbul wäre kaum eine Entscheidung über Krieg und Frieden ausgegangen, sagt der ukrainische Analyst und Sicherheitsexperte Mykola Bielieskov.

Cover: Verhandlungen in Istanbul: Mehr Theater als Substanz?
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Verhandlungen in Istanbul: Mehr Theater als Substanz?

Sanktionen oder Verhandlungen? Der ukrainische Sicherheitsexperte Mykola Bielieskov über die geplanten Gespräche in Istanbul, die Rolle der USA und die Unsicherheit Europas.

Cover: Ukraine’s efforts to develop high-tech weapons
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ukraine’s efforts to develop high-tech weapons

What to expect from the peace talks proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and how to keep pressure on Russia – CBA Initiative Center Senior Analyst Mykola Bielieskov in an interview with DW News.

Cover: Russia’s coming summer offensive could be deadliest of the entire war
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Russia’s coming summer offensive could be deadliest of the entire war

As the US-led peace initiative continues to falter, the unfolding summer campaigning season in Ukraine promises to be among the bloodiest of the entire war, CBA Initiatives Center Senior Analyst Mykola Bielieskov wrote for the Atlantic Council.

Cover: Russia’s coming summer offensive could be deadliest of the entire war
  • Article

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Russia’s coming summer offensive could be deadliest of the entire war

As the US-led peace initiative continues to falter, the unfolding summer campaigning season in Ukraine promises to be among the bloodiest of the entire war.

Cover: "Trump is bluffing. And we can’t say it’s a bluff" — Belieskov on shuttle diplomacy, Ukraine’s goals, and the frontline in 2025
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

"Trump is bluffing. And we can’t say it’s a bluff" — Belieskov on shuttle diplomacy, Ukraine’s goals, and the frontline in 2025

Suspilne TV met with CBA Initiatives Center Senior Analyst Mykola Bielieskov as Donald Trump marked his first 100 days in office, and Ukraine continued its efforts to maintain U.S. support.

Cover: Ukraine can stop Russia - even without Trump’s support
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ukraine can stop Russia - even without Trump’s support

Ukrainian forces bent but didn't break under Russian pressure, and they can make enemy losses unsustainable.

Cover: Inside Ukraine’s Domestic Weapon Scale-Up — The Last, Best Defense Against U.S. Retreat
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Inside Ukraine’s Domestic Weapon Scale-Up — The Last, Best Defense Against U.S. Retreat

For Kyiv, the race to accelerate arms production capacity is especially crucial as it strives to replace the Western arms it once depended on.

Cover: A pragmatic peace plan for Ukraine
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

A pragmatic peace plan for Ukraine

While Ukraine has agreed to an unconditional ceasefire, Russia refuses to do likewise. Instead, the Kremlin continues to make excuses and employ a range of stalling tactics in an apparent bid to drag out the negotiating process indefinitely.

Cover: A pragmatic peace plan for Ukraine
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

A pragmatic peace plan for Ukraine

While Ukraine has agreed to an unconditional ceasefire, Russia refuses to do likewise. Instead, the Kremlin continues to make excuses and employ a range of stalling tactics in an apparent bid to drag out the negotiating process indefinitely.

Cover: Ukraine’s long-range Neptune cruise missile is a potential trump card
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ukraine’s long-range Neptune cruise missile is a potential trump card

Russia is talking of halting energy infrastructure attacks just as Ukraine unleashes a powerful new cruise missile.

Cover: A Month of Disillusionment: How February Reshaped U.S. Policy on Ukraine and What Kyiv Can Still Hope For
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

A Month of Disillusionment: How February Reshaped U.S. Policy on Ukraine and What Kyiv Can Still Hope For

February 2025 marked a turning point in U.S.-Ukraine relations. Instead of the anticipated reset, Kyiv faced a series of sobering realities—from contradictory statements by the Trump administration to a failed White House meeting.

Cover: Vladimir Putin does not want peace. He wants to subjugate Ukraine.
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Vladimir Putin does not want peace. He wants to subjugate Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered an evasive initial response to US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire proposal, backing the idea in principle while listing a series of additional demands that make any meaningful progress unlikely. Officials in Kyiv will be hoping Putin’s reluctance to embrace the US-led ceasefire initiative will help convince their American colleagues that the Kremlin dictator is not genuinely interested in ending the war.

Cover: Trump says Ukraine doesn’t hold any cards — he’s the one snatching them
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Trump says Ukraine doesn’t hold any cards — he’s the one snatching them

The U.S. president has single-handedly pushed Kyiv into its most perilous time since Russia’s all-out invasion began.

Cover: What’s Next for Ukraine?
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

What’s Next for Ukraine?

The war’s underlying logic has been flipped on its head since the White House meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump.

Cover: Ukraine won't feel effect of US military aid suspension for up to 6 months, analyst says
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ukraine won't feel effect of US military aid suspension for up to 6 months, analyst says

The suspension of U.S. military aid to Ukraine will not be felt for up to six months, a Ukrainian analyst told The Associated Press on Tuesday, after the Trump administration ordered the assistance to be halted.

Cover: Europe must prepare to defend itself in an increasingly multipolar world
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Europe must prepare to defend itself in an increasingly multipolar world

US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine has yet to be made public, but it is already abundantly clear that he expects Europe to play a far bigger role in the continent’s future security and the fight against Russian aggression.

Cover: Trump Begins His Second Presidential Term: Can the 47th President Be a Reliable Ally for Ukraine?
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Trump Begins His Second Presidential Term: Can the 47th President Be a Reliable Ally for Ukraine?

Today, on January 20, 2025, Donald Trump assumes office as the 47th President of the United States, marking his second tenure in the Oval Office. Along with inheriting the responsibilities of his predecessor, Joe Biden, Trump faces the pressing challenge of resolving the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Cover: "Goals-Resources-Tools": Why Ukraine Needs a New Grand Strategy for Victory. A Military Scenario for 2025
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

"Goals-Resources-Tools": Why Ukraine Needs a New Grand Strategy for Victory. A Military Scenario for 2025

Any attempt to understand the conditions under which Ukraine will implement its grand strategy in 2025 is impossible without analyzing the key trends and developments of 2024.

Cover: Putin begins 2025 confident of victory as war of attrition takes toll on Ukraine
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Putin begins 2025 confident of victory as war of attrition takes toll on Ukraine

While many commentators are already speculating over the possibility of Ukraine peace talks in the coming months, there is actually very little to indicate that Russian President Vladimir Putin is interested in a negotiated settlement. Ukrainian military commanders are certainly not counting on any pause in hostilities, and are instead preparing for a fourth year of Europe’s largest war since World War II.

Cover: Ucrania afronta exhausta y llena de dudas 2025, el año clave para la guerra
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ucrania afronta exhausta y llena de dudas 2025, el año clave para la guerra

A punto de entrar en su cuarto año de contienda, Kiev cierra 2024 con avances territoriales y superioridad del invasor. La victoria de Trump acerca la posibilidad de un fin negociado, pero Zelenski desconfía de Moscú

Cover: Strategicky jsme už Rusko porazili. Příští rok může nastat klid zbraní
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Strategicky jsme už Rusko porazili. Příští rok může nastat klid zbraní

Roste pravděpodobnost, že v roce 2025 mezi Ukrajinou a Ruskem nastane klid zbraní. Jakou bude mít podobu, jak silná bude Ukrajina a jakou bude mít podporu od svých západních spojenců – to je pořád nejasné. Do čtvrtého roku války ale vstupuje Kyjev v lepší kondici, než se na první pohled při čtení zpráv o stavu fronty může zdát.

Cover: “We’ve Earned Our Partners 33 Months of Additional Time”. CBA Initiatives Center Analyst Mykola Bielieskov Discusses Importance of International Support for Ukraine at Atlantic Council’s Central Europe Week
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

“We’ve Earned Our Partners 33 Months of Additional Time”. CBA Initiatives Center Analyst Mykola Bielieskov Discusses Importance of International Support for Ukraine at Atlantic Council’s Central Europe Week

From December 9 to 13, Prague hosted the Atlantic Council’s 2024 Central Europe Week, an annual conference held in various European cities under the auspices of the Atlantic Council. The event included several panel discussions, one of which, held on December 12 and titled "Ukrainian Security, European Stability," focused on the importance of international support for Ukraine. Among the speakers was Mykola Bielieskov.

Cover: Russia grinds deeper into Ukraine after 1,000 days of grueling war
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Russia grinds deeper into Ukraine after 1,000 days of grueling war

“We’ve now returned to a period reminiscent of the war’s first months,” said Mykola Bielieskov, an analyst at the CBA Initiatives Center.

Cover: Zelenskyy Presents Ukraine's "Victory Plan" to Biden: What Might and Should Be in It?
  • Article

  • Analytical department

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Zelenskyy Presents Ukraine's "Victory Plan" to Biden: What Might and Should Be in It?

Mykola Bielieskov, Senior Analyst at CBA Initiatives Center, meditades about the document that he ambitiously described as a "Victory Plan". The plan will be presented to the current US President Joseph Biden as well as presidential candidates from two parties - Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

Cover: Ukraine’s Kursk offensive proves surprise is still possible in modern war
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ukraine’s Kursk offensive proves surprise is still possible in modern war

Ukraine’s invasion of Russia is now in its second week and the sense of shock is still tangible. The Ukrainian military was able to achieve almost total surprise when it crossed the border into Russia’s Kursk Oblast on August 6. While the ultimate goals of the operation remain subject to much debate, Ukraine’s success in catching the Russians completely off-guard is a considerable accomplishment in its own right.

Cover: The state of Russia’s war on Ukraine as it nears 2024
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

The state of Russia’s war on Ukraine as it nears 2024

The current fighting season is still far from over in Ukraine, but it is already clear that the war unleashed by Vladimir Putin in February 2022 will continue into the coming year. Developments on the Ukrainian battlefield in 2024 will likely depend on a number of factors including geopolitical considerations, election cycles, weapons deliveries, and the availability of ammunition.

Cover: Ukraine–NATO Relations: Closer Partnership or Membership?
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ukraine–NATO Relations: Closer Partnership or Membership?

The future of Ukraine–NATO relations is once again the number-one topic on the agenda for Alliance members in the lead-up to the forthcoming Vilnius Summit. The issue was just as acute 15 years ago when, at the Bucharest Summit, prospects of a Ukrainian Membership Action Plan (MAP) were discussed. The 2008 decision not to grant Ukraine a MAP is now regarded by many as a prologue to the events of 2014 and 2022.

Cover: Ukraine’s Territorial Defence Forces: The War So Far and Future Prospects
  • News

  • Media about us

Mykola Bielieskov
  • Mykola Bielieskov

Ukraine’s Territorial Defence Forces: The War So Far and Future Prospects

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Territorial Defence Forces have played a crucial role in thwarting Russian plans. But what does the future hold for these determined fighters?

Filters

Publication type

Authors

Directions: