In the shadow of the war in Ukraine

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has wreaked death and destruction in the country, with impacts that reverberate worldwide. This Focus highlights the voices of Ukrainian scientists — at home and abroad — and provides insights into the many effects of the war.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has brought into stark relief the role that fossil fuels can play in conflict. Leading Ukrainian climate scientist Svitlana Krakovska talks of the terrors of the war in Ukraine and how divesting from fossil fuels will bring humanity onto a safer path towards a sustainable future.

Having fled Ukraine owing to the war, Tamara Martsenyuk is reflecting on her experience as a refugee scholar. Ukrainian studies should become more visible within Eastern European studies, she argues.

When academics ‘westplain’ Russia’s war against Ukraine, they reinforce a culture of detachment. We must not ignore the embodied knowledge of war, writes Darya Tsymbalyuk.

Korrine Sky, a British Zimbabwean student who fled Ukraine after the Russian invasion, writes about the racism and discrimination against people of colour fleeing Ukraine.

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a broad swathe of countries have imposed a bevy of sanctions aimed at Vladimir Putin and his supporters. However, the future success of sanctions in curbing Russian aggression is unclear and, despite being targeted, they may harm average Russian individuals and affect prices worldwide.

On 24 February 2022, Russia’s attack on Ukraine shook the world. Among many issues forcibly raised by the war, the question of information manipulation has been particularly important for the public and scholars alike. How did Vladimir Putin’s regime manage to convince the Russian public to support the invasion?

Russian disinformation exploits social problems in foreign states to undermine people’s trust and breed conspiracy theories. Tackling it is difficult but feasible.

Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine showcases substantial challenges, especially to international humanitarian and criminal law and human rights. It also calls for an urgent revisiting of the role of the United Nations Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security, and of the security architecture in Europe and worldwide.