An overview of the background and the history of the War in Ukraine. Plus some analysis of what will happen next. Does peace between Russia and Ukraine have a chance at all? Punching Upwards, Episode 17 for 4 January 2026 Topics: Politics / War in Ukraine 🦉 No AI Content Credits Thanks to Michael Mullan-Jensen, Fadi Mansour and Evgeny Kuznetsov for subscribing to the podcast on Substack and supporting it financially! Additional thanks to Sir Galteran who continues to provide financial backing via Fountain.fm! Sources * “F**k the EU” - US diplomat embarrassed after undiplomatic language caught on tape, Euronews, 7 February 2014 * Should Ukraine accept the U.S.-backed peace deal?, CTV News, 23 November 2025 * Military expert watching for security guarantees, territorial lines in Trump-Zelenskyy meeting, CTV News, 28 December 2025 * Putin indicated Russia could be open to territory swap as part of Ukraine deal, Kommersant says, Reuters, 26 December 2025 * Russia scores highest Ukraine gains since first year of war, CTV News, 3 January 2026 * Russia’s Igor Strelkov: I Am Responsible for War in Eastern Ukraine, The Moscow Times, 21 November 2014 * What Putin Fears Most, Robert Person and Michael McFaul, Journal of Democracy, April 2022 * The war in Ukraine and international law, Harvard Law Today, 2 March 2022 * Russia planning massive military offensive against Ukraine involving 175,000 troops, U.S. intelligence warns, The Washington Post, 3 December 2021 * Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting with US Senators: Nord Stream 2 is a powerful weapon being given to Russia, Official Website of the President of Ukraine, 2 June 2021 * The Speech Putin Wrote Mid-Flight: Munich 2007, Full Historic Address, APT News * Russia & Ukraine, Institute for the Study of War * The Partnership: The Secret History of the War in Ukraine, The New York Times, 29 March 2025 * Lessons from Russia’s Operations in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, Kofman et al., RAND Corporation, 9 May 2017 * Protocol of the Central Election Commission: on the results of the repeat voting in the elections of the President of Ukraine, The Central Election Commission of Ukraine, 2019 * Battalion Tactical Groups Of The Russian Armed Forces in the Altered Physiognomy of Modern Conflicts, Mitrovic and Bojanic, Vojno delo, August 2021 * The Russian Way of Warfare – A Primer, Boston and Massicot, RAND Corporation, 2017 The theme music for the podcast is a track called Fight or Fall by Def Lev. Find out more about the show at fab.industries/podcast — new media, new rules! Get full access to Punching Upwards at punchingupwards.substack.com/subscribe
