Strategy&Future

The invasion of Ukraine became a serious trigger for the development of military writings inside Russia. Since the beginning of the war, many books have been published that describe the Russian military and geopolitical mindset and conduct. These books were often published for propagandist purposes, but the old Western school of Sovietology teaches us that to win over the enemy, we must grasp his way of thinking and find his weaknesses. Without objective analysis of political and military thought, it is easy to fall into imaginary theorisation which does not correspond with reality.

Kirill Romanovsky’s “Eight Years with Wagner” (2023). Part 2

The invasion of Ukraine became a serious trigger for the development of military writings inside Russia. Since the beginning of the war, many books have been published that describe the Russian military and geopolitical mindset and conduct. These books were often published for propagandist purposes, but the old Western school of Sovietology teaches us that to win over the enemy, we must grasp his way of thinking and find his weaknesses. Without objective analysis of political and military thought, it is easy to fall into imaginary theorisation which does not correspond with reality.

Sergei Korolev (1906-1966) is a legendary figure of the 21st century and is considered one of the “fathers” of space exploration. He was a Soviet scientist and designer of rocket and space systems. Elon Musk, the world’s most prominent space populariser and inventor, has frequently stated that Soviet/Russian space heritage has had a particular impact on his work.

Ukrainian political and historical thinking was dominated before 2014 by two main intellectual groups. The first worked under the political, social, and ideological edifice that Ukraine is a European nation. The second targeted the issues of the national history of the Ukrainians as a nation and as a nation that fought against Russian aggression throughout the centuries.

“If you see to it that no Pole can ever become a Russian, I guarantee that Russia will not subjugate Poland.” “You will never be free as long as a single Russian soldier remains in Poland, and you will always be in danger of losing your freedom as long as Russia interferes in your affairs. But if you succeed in forcing her to deal with you as one power with another, and no longer as protector and protectorate, then profit by the exhaustion into which the Turkish war will have thrown her to accomplish your task before she is able to disturb it.”

“The Romans became the rulers of all nations, not only because of their martial art but also because of their prudence, their wisdom, their constancy, their love for glory, and the fatherland. When all these virtues disappeared under the emperors, they retained the art of war, thanks to which they controlled all the lands they conquered, despite the weakness and tyranny of their sovereigns; but when the army disintegrated, the Romans became the prey of all nations.” “An empire based on the power of arms must and must preserve it by means of arms.”

“Ministers come and ministers go, even dictators die, but mountain ranges stand unperturbed.” „Since the Red Sea parted for Moses and the sun obligingly paused for Joshua, the human will have been unable to recapture the control over topography and climate exhibited by those forceful gentlemen, and it is probably safe to say that it was by Russian geography rather than by men that the diminutive Corsican was finally defeated.” Nicholas Spykman, 1938

Jacek Bartosiak talks to Elliot Ackerman on his book, co-authored with Admiral James Stavridis, titled “2034 – A Novel about the Next World War”.

Jacek Bartosiak and George Friedman discuss their newest book on space warfare and space economy that will transform terrestrial geopolitics.

Many know of Andrei Sakharov (1921-1989) as a Soviet dissident, a Nobel laureate, an activist for disarmament, peace, and human rights. Of course he was also a nuclear physicist and the designer of the first two-stage hydrogen bomb, first tested on 22 November 1955 with a nominal yield of approximately 3 megatons. However, almost unknown in the West are his philosophical visions on humanity, history, the Cold War, and the future of humanity. His visions, concepts and theories he presented in 1968 in the short book, “Thoughts on progress, peaceful coexistence and intellectual freedom” and in some other shorter works.

“It seems Israel will never leave Gaza. It is always here, even if its soldiers are not visible, patrolling the streets as they did not so long ago. The occupation is now truly twenty-first century—the best drone technology in the world is being deployed up there, just to keep us occupied. Our lives are dictated by the rhythm of war and truce, war and truce; it’s like a dance, you have to follow it. War decides for us when we go to bed and when we get out of bed. It teaches us to be fully occupied with every detail of daily life.”