How have recent Ukrainian counteroffensives changed the trajectory of the war? Will Putin’s announcement of Russian mobilization increase the risk of potential escalation? After a highly successful Ukrainian counteroffensive in the North, Putin has now sought to turn the tables with two important developments. First, Kremlin proxies in four Ukrainian regions have announced plans for sham referenda on annexation to Russia. Additionally, Putin has announced a “partial” mobilization in which he plans to bring 300,000 reservists into Ukraine. Mick Ryan and Robert Lee join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss the most recent developments shaping the war in both Ukraine and Russia.

Mick Ryan is an Adjunct Fellow with the Australia Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is also a retired major general in the Australian army as well as the author of War Transformed: The Future of 21st Century Great Power Competition and Conflict.

Rob Lee is a Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Eurasia Program and a former Marine infantry officer. He is currently completing his PhD on Russian defense policy at King’s College London’s War Studies Department.