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Russia's War against Ukraine

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Russia's War against Ukraine

20/11/2025

Kyiv in 2024. Flags are placed in memory of the people who have been killed in Russia's war © IMAGO / Kyodo News

On 24 Feburary 2022, Russia began the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that we condemn in the strongest possible terms. With our research and expertise on Ukraine and the entire region of Eastern Europe, we at ZOiS seek to contribute to the fact-based assessment of the situation. Our online dossier gathers relevant background information in addition to recent articles and assessments by ZOiS experts.

With the Ukraine Research Network@ZOiS (UNET), we aim to network social science research on Ukraine and make it more visible. Since 2024, we have also been a partner in the Competence Network for Interdisciplinary Ukrainian Studies Frankfurt (Oder) – Berlin (KIU).

Spotlight on Ukraine 19

Ukraine’s Resilience: From Buzzword to Useful Concept

by Oleksandra Keudel Oksana Huss 12/12/2025

Ukraine’s ability to withstand Russia’s ongoing attacks is widely praised and admired. But the human cost of this resilience and the structural problems the country is struggling with are often overlooked. We need a new perspective on what resilience really means.

Spotlight on Ukraine 18

Ukrainian Decentralisation under Martial Law: A Balancing Act

by Andrii Darkovich Maryna Rabinovych 17/09/2025

Ukraine’s decentralisation reform has been vital to the country’s wartime resilience. Martial law has not dismantled the core achievements of decentralisation, but it does pose risks – particularly for local autonomy and ownership over the recovery process.

ZOiS Spotlight 16/2025

The Hidden Front Line: How War Damages the Natural World

by Rebecca Hirschfeld 10/09/2025

From soil degradation and water contamination to ecosystem destruction and biodiversity loss, wars such as Russia’s aggression against Ukraine have serious and extensive consequences on nature that can last for generations and affect the health and livelihoods of entire populations.

ZOiS Spotlight 14/2025

Identity Speaks: How Language Ideologies Are Reshaping Ukraine

by Liudmyla Pidkuimukha 16/07/2025

For Ukrainians, Ukrainian is far more than just the official state language. It has become the voice of resistance, an expression of political healing, cultural identity, and a radical break with Russian imperialism. But how far-reaching and lasting is this renunciation of Russian?

ZOiS Spotlight 13/2025

Ceasefire Lines – Everyday Life, Security and Spaces of Engagement in War

by Sabine von Löwis Noah Harris 02/07/2025

A ceasefire in the war against Ukraine would not only mark a pause in the hostilities: it would directly affect the lives of people at the front line – and open up opportunities for peace talks. A lasting peace will only be successful if local communities’ needs are considered.

KonKoop In:Security Report Series/3

Emancipatory Dimensions of In:Security – Strategies of Coping with War Challenges in Ukraine

by Nadja Douglas Míla O’Sullivan Yuliya Yurchuk Oleksii Vasyliuk Tetiana Skrypchenko 01/07/2025

This KonKoop In:Security Report explores how security is perceived, experienced, and enacted by ordinary citizens — and how the notion of ‘societal security’ in Eastern Europe has changed in the wake of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

MORE ZOiS PUBLICATIONS

External publications by ZOiS experts in academic and other journals, edited volumes, and blogs.

Podcast: Roundtable Osteuropa 59

Die erste ukrainische Literaturgeschichte auf Deutsch eröffnet neue Perspektiven auf ein oft übersehenes literarisches Erbe. Nina Frieß spricht mit Ulrich Schmid und Alessandro Achilli über Geschichte und aktuelle Lage der ukrainischen Literatur, die Russlands Angriffskrieg existenziell bedroht.

Podcast: Roundtable Osteuropa 54

Seit 2022 gilt für Geflüchtete aus der Ukraine ein temporärer Schutzstatus in der EU – aktuell bis März 2027. Was passiert danach? Eine Folge über rechtliche Perspektiven, Integration und die Situation ukrainischer Geflüchteter in Deutschland.

Podcast: Roundtable Osteuropa 52

With the full-scale invasion, relations with the EU have suddenly become very concrete for Ukrainians - in Ukraine and abroad. What does war, displacement and Euroscepticism in Ukraine mean for the future of Ukrainian and European politics?

Podcast: Roundtable Osteuropa 50

In this podcast episode, Stefanie Orphal speaks with playback performer Yuliia Terentieva and ZOiS researcher Sabine von Löwis about the intersection of research and theatre and explores unexpected ways of bringing them together.

Podcast: Roundtable Osteuropa 48

In 2022, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) declared its independence from the Moscow patriarchate. In this episode, Regina Elsner and Andriy Fert shed some light on the churches in Ukraine and explain the status of the OUC and its place in Ukrainian society.

Podcast: Roundtable Osteuropa 47

Rebuilding research and education in Ukraine is a major challenge in the context of Russia’s war. In this special episode of our podcast, Tymofii Brik joins Julia Langbein at ZOiS to share his thoughts on the future of Ukrainian science.

MORE PODCASTS AND EVENT RECORDINGS

Ukraine-Verhandlungen: "Europa hat viele Chancen verpasst"

Interview with Gwendolyn Sasse for ZDF heute (13/12/2025)

Ringen um die Zukunft der Ukraine. Machtloses Europa?

TV report by ZDF with assessments by Gwendolyn Sasse for ZDF frontal (09/12/2025)

Osteuropa-Expertin: "Dauerhafter Frieden wird zu rhetorischer Hülse"

Interview with Gwendolyn Sasse on NDR (08/12/2025)

Politikwissenschaftlerin: „Wir sind weit weg von einem Friedensplan“

Interview with Gwendolyn Sasse on Deutschlandfunk (02/12/2025)

US-Sondergesandter Witkoff spricht mit Russlands Präsident Putin über ein Friedensabkommen für die Ukraine

Article with assessments by Gwendolyn Sasse for Deutschlandfunk (02/12/2025)

Ukraine: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Commentary by Gwendolyn Sasse für Carnegie Europe (25.11.2025)

„Kiew kann das gesamte Land zurückerobern“: Wirft Trump jetzt seine gesamte Ukraine-Politik über den Haufen?

Article with assessments by Gwendolyn Sasse im Tagesspiegel (24.09.2025)

Die Ukraine bekommt eine neue Regierungschefin: Was dahinter steht - und was Trump damit zu tun hat

Article with assessments by Gwendolyn Sasse im Tagesspiegel (17.07.2025)

Neuer Kanzler, neue Ukraine-Politik: Selenskyj besucht Merz

Radio interview with Sebastian Hoppe on WDR 5 Mittagsecho (28/05/2025)

Schwierige Ukraine-Verhandlungen: Verliert Donald Trump bald die Geduld?

Article with assessments by Gwendolyn Sasse in the Tagesspiegel (22/04/2025)

MORE MEDIA CONTRIBUTIONS