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
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!
