RAND Experts Available to Discuss Implications of Ukrainian Military Counteroffensive Operation

September 11, 2022

As Ukrainian forces mount a counteroffensive in eastern Ukraine, RAND experts are available to discuss details and implications of the operation.

The apparent sophistication and success of the operation so far could strengthen western support for Ukraine and reinforce doubts about Russia's strategy, according to William Courtney, adjunct senior fellow at RAND and former U.S. Ambassador to Georgia and Kazakhstan with expertise in Russia, Eastern Europe, foreign policy and diplomacy.

In addition to Courtney, the following RAND researchers are available for comment to the media:

• John Tefft, former U.S. Ambassador to the Russian Federation from 2014 to 2017 and former Ambassador to Ukraine from 2009 to 2013. He also worked from 2004 to 2005 as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, responsible for U.S. relations with Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova. Tefft is a Senior Fellow at the RAND Corporation.

• Samuel Charap is a senior political scientist with expertise in the foreign policies of Russia and the former Soviet states, U.S.-Russia deterrence and regional strategic stability.

• Dara Massicot is a senior policy researcher and expert on Russian military capabilities.

• Raphael Cohen is a senior political scientist with expertise in defense strategy, foreign policy, European security and Russia-China relations.

• David E. Johnson is a principal researcher, whose work focuses on strategy, military doctrine, history, innovation, civil-military relations and professional military education. He is also an expert on weaponry.

• Barry Pavel is vice president of the RAND National Security Research Division.