As Ukraine enters its fourth winter of full-scale war, Russia has unleashed an annihilation campaign against its energy infrastructure. Massive, coordinated strikes, including a barrage of 705 missiles and drones on October 30, 2025 , signal a new and dangerous phase of this protracted energy war. The humanitarian consequences have prompted the United Nations to issue stern warnings, but will Russia heed them? Matthias Schmale, the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, ha

Russia abandoned the final restrictions it was under under the now obsolete   INF Treaty in  August 2025. This decision shortened warning times and broadened the range of hybrid threats aimed at Europe, including ground-launched missiles, long-range drones, cyber operations and sabotage against the networks and nodes that keep the continent running. The greatest risk lies with critical infrastructure, where even limited disruption can have a knock-on effect across borders. Th

In addition to the ongoing support of its Western partners, Ukraine continues its daily resistance to Russian forces through the mobilisation of civil society, the public sector and volunteer initiatives. Despite the enormous challenges posed by the enemy's numerical superiority and turbulent political processes in the West, Ukraine is not only defending its sovereignty but also changing the very paradigms of modern warfare. Ukraine's resilience is not solely due to Western t

Seeking to demonstrate its military strength, NATO conducted a series of large-scale military exercises across Northern Europe, sending a clear,   unambiguous message of deterrence  to an increasingly aggressive Russia. This show of force, the largest since the Cold War, is not just routine training. Still, a manifestation of a new strategic reality in which the Far North has become the centre of geopolitical competition, and the line between peace and potential conflict is b