The Future of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) after February 24th: Implications for Russia’s Hegemony in Post-Soviet Asia

Since February 24th, the world seems to live every minute of the war on Ukraine to its fullest. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has not only sent shockwaves through the rest of Europe but also shattered the widely held belief that the horrors of the Second World War were a thing of the past. Since then, powerful undercurrents of change have been at work in the new understanding of the security challenges of the twenty-first century. Very few in the West were able to predict that Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea would durably transform the entire international system into an increasingly bipolar confrontation between newly emerged military blocs. Even fewer strongly warned against the temptation of thinking that the world was right back on the track of the old Cold War logic.

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Allegations of Genocide – Ukraine’s Case Against Russia Before the International Court of Justice

On the 26th of February 2022, Ukraine instituted proceedings against the Russian Federation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning a dispute related to the interpretation, application, and fulfilment of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention). Ukraine contends that the claim of “genocide” in the Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts, which Russia used as a pretext for its invasion of the country, is completely nonsensical (ICJ, February 2022). As such, Ukraine has requested that the Court reach a judgement and also indicate provisional measures ordering Russia to immediately cease all military operations in the Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts (ICJ, February 2022). While the Court has not yet reached a final judgement, it has already released its order on the provisional measures, which will be discussed on this paper.

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The Impact of Weather Conditions on Amphibious Military Operations

This paper will analyse how weather conditions impact amphibious planning and the conduct of military operations. More precisely, this paper will scrutinize the different components of the broader concept of weather, assessing the impact that these components can have on amphibious warfare. To write this Info Flash, mainly sources coming from the US Marine Corps were taken into consideration, since they regularly publish analyses and studies. However, analysing the American doctrine regarding amphibious operations makes it possible to make similar considerations for the NATO doctrine, since the Alliance’s doctrines are considerably influenced by the US despite not being public knowledge.

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From the “Alligator” to the LCAC: How Amphibious Military Vehicles Evolved in Time

In recent times, amphibious warfare returned to prominence, with many military operations around the world being conducted by amphibious troops. From D-Day to Ukraine, marines from different countries have a long history of successful deployment in war theatres, mainly due to their preparation and their capabilities. Readiness, flexibility, and cross-domain operativity are the basic features of amphibious units, which find themselves fighting in one of the most difficult types of warfare. Sea, land, air, space, and cyberspace are all fundamental domains to organising and carrying out a successful amphibious operation. For this reason, to operate in such a complex and multifaceted environment, amphibious units benefit from unique vehicles and assets that help them in their operations.

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Reasons Behind the European Union’s Inadequacy to Create a European Army

This paper will shed light on the historical evolution of the conceptualization of a European Army, and will then analyse institutions and policies in place, as well as ways in which NATO and the EU can cooperate in the defence sector. Finally, the obstacles to the creation of a European Army are assessed against the backdrop of the current Russian war with Ukraine and the recent adoption of the EU Strategic Compass.

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