A Look at the War in Ukraine: One Year Later with Olena Lennon, Ph.D.

As Russia’s large-scale war against Ukraine has approached a one-year mark, many wonder what’s next. With millions of Ukrainians displaced and thousands killed or wounded, Ukrainians continue to endure bombardments of schools, hospitals, residential buildings, and power plants. The Ukrainian people’s fierce resistance and tenacity have amazed and inspired many around the world.

The horrors of Russia’s innumerable war crimes have made Ukraine the largest war crime scene since WWII. The transatlantic unity in stepping up military, humanitarian, and economic aid for Ukraine has been critical in helping Ukraine push the Russians back. But as both Russia and Ukraine are preparing for major offensives, the war may turn even more bloody. What did 2022 teach us and where will the war go from there?

About the Presenter

Olena Lennon, Ph.D. is an Adjunct Professor in the National Security Department at the University of New Haven, where she teaches such courses as the U.S. Foreign & Defense Policy and International Relations. Formerly a Fulbright scholar from Ukraine, and most recently a scholar at Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., she has dedicated her research to the study of conflict management and identity politics in eastern Europe, focused on domestic and foreign policy of Ukraine. An eastern Ukraine native, Dr. Lennon has been a regular participant in scholarly and media forums related to issues in Ukraine, facilitating a more informed and objective analysis of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. She also serves as an election observer with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and has completed several election observation missions in the region. Her work appeared in Foreign Affairs, The National Interest, Demokratizatsiya, Eurasian Geography and Economics, and other outlets.