Frontlines of Transformation

Given the unprecedented transformation of weaponry and, consequently, of the doctrines governing their use, armies and Western states must urgently adapt to new forms and methods of warfare if catastrophe is to be averted.

General Valeriy Zaluzhnyy, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

In her informed and candid analysis Victoria Vdovychenko considers how Ukrainians have not only coped with Russian aggression but also shown enormous ingenuity their developing its military responses, and what they and their European partners must now do for their long-term security.

Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King' s College London

What should the rest of Europe learn from Ukraine, and how can we help Ukraine win? These are the two questions Victoria Vdovychenko asks and answers in her insightful and meticulous contribution to our security debate. She explains the revolution in military affairs that has made Ukraine into the most advanced warfighting country in Europe and she lays bare how the seizure of Russian assets, from the shadow fleet to central bank reserves, can punish the Kremlin and provide the funding that Ukraine needs to win.

Edward Lucas, former senior editor at The Economist, founder and director of Baltic International Security Centre

Victoria Vdovychenko s impressive knowledge and research would be reason enough to read this book, but it is the clarity of her writing and thinking that command the reader s attention. This is a vitally important book at a vitally important time for the defense of Ukraine and the souls of western democracies.

Daniel Barr, Chief Deputy Attorney General, Arizona Attorney General s Office

Vdovychenko' s analysis reveals how Ukraine has fought back against a numerically superior opponent through asymmetrical tactics, smart warfare, decentralisation and accelerating the innovation cycle. We all need to learn from the Ukrainian experience.

Leigh Turner, former UK ambassador to Ukraine and author of Lessons in Diplomacy

Since February 2022, Ukraine transformed from a far-away country about which most western observers knew little, to a surprise survivor of Russian large-scale armed onslaught, to the foundry of defense technological innovation and societal resilience that is rewriting military strategy and is bound to shape the future of European security. Victoria Vdovychenko s deeply researched book is a required reading for anyone seeking to understand and learn from this transformation.

Mariana Budjeryn, senior researcher, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, author of Inheriting the Bomb: The Collapse of the USSR and the Nuclear Disarmament of Ukraine.

The book explores how Ukraine s resilience, transformation, and European aspirations are reshaping the continent' s security landscape. An engaging and thought-provoking read for policymakers, scholars, and anyone interested in Europe s future.

Amanda Paul, Deputy Head of the Europe in the World Team and Head of the Ukraine Programme, EPC.

Frontlines of Transformation has an urgent message: that Ukraine is not only a cause to be supported in its fight against Russian aggression, but also a source of hard-won defence and security innovation from sanctions enforcement to drone warfare. Drawing on exhaustive research and direct access to sources in Ukraine s military, government, and civil society, Victoria Vdovychenko gives us an indispensable book about what Europe owes Ukraine, and what Europe still has to learn from it.

Rory Finnin, Notre Dame Collegiate Mission Chair in Ukrainian Studies and Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame.