Russia’s upcoming Duma election will be the first since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In an unfavourable context, the Kremlin’s political managers have been highly active in sterilising the ballot. Anton Barbashin, Editorial Director of Riddle Russia, examines how these wartime elections are becoming a demonstration of support for the war and Putin’s continued rule.
Russia’s elections may be repressive and predictable, but that does not make them meaningless. While no one predicts that United Russia will be denied a majority in the upcoming Duma election, managing the political space has become more difficult than in the past. As Julian G. Waller writes, deviation from the Kremlin’s desired result could have wider consequences for elite politics.
As Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine drags on and battlefield realities continue to evolve, ELN Senior Associate Fellow Ilana Bet-El is joined by Hanna Shelest and Yuliia Shaipova from Ukrainian Prism to examine the growing toll the war is taking on Russia and how Ukraine has continued to innovate in the face of Russian attacks.
Last week, President Trump announced his 28-point plan for peace to end Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. His proposal has attracted much controversy, with opponents alleging that it prioritises Russia’s demands first, American financial interests second, and Ukraine’s sovereignty and security third. To break down what Trump’s plan would mean for Ukraine and the world, ELN Senior Associate Fellow Ilana Bet-El is joined by Dr Hanna Shelest, Director of Security Programmes at the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism”, and Iryna Krasnoshtan, Programme Director at the International Centre for Ukrainian Victory.
In the latest episode of the Women Leaders podcast, ELN Senior Associate Fellow Ilana Bet-El speaks with Kristina Zeleniuk (TSN) and Kim Barker (The New York Times) about reporting from Ukraine’s war zones. They explore how journalists effectively balance truth, safety, and state security whilst navigating frontline realities, civilian risks, and the pressures a long, brutal conflict places on independent journalism.
Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk joins ELN Senior Associate Fellow Ilana Bet-El to discuss Ukraine’s grim reality after four years of war. From frontline trauma to documenting war crimes, she reveals what it means to live under attack—and why EU membership is essential for Ukraine’s long-term security and prosperity.