Wars of Russia: causes, determinants, course and consequences of military combat operations of the Russian Federation in the post-Cold War period

We cordially invite you to participate in the scientific conference “Wars of Russia: causes, determinants, course and consequences of military combat operations of the Russian Federation in the post-Cold War period”, dedicated to the analysis of military operations of the Russian Federation after the end of the Cold War. The event will take place on 12 June 2026 in the Senate Hall of the Kazimierzowski Palace at the University of Warsaw from 11:00 to 17:30 in English.

The event will bring together researchers and experts from Poland and abroad, representing, among others, the University of Warsaw, University College London, University of Helsinki, University of Tartu, University of Lviv, King’s College, University of Rzeszów, Marburg University and National University “Kyiv Aviation Institute”.

The aim of the conference is an in-depth reflection on the causes, determinants, course and consequences of Russian military operations in the post-Cold War period. Discussions will be divided into three main thematic areas: the political-strategic, military and legal dimensions.

The conference will be opened by the Vice-Dean for International Cooperation of the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, University of Warsaw, Dr Agnieszka Bieńczyk-Missala, Professor. The introduction will be delivered by Professor Andrzej Szeptycki, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and head of the research project “Wars of Russia”.

The first part of the conference will feature a panel devoted to the political-strategic dimension of the military operations of the Russian Federation. The discussion will be moderated by Professor Markiyan Malsky from the University of Lviv. The panel will include: Professor Roman Kuźniar, Professor Alicja Curanović, Professor Andrew Wilson from University College London and Professor Yevhen Mahda from National University “Kyiv Aviation Institute”. They will reflect on the political and strategic determinants of Russian armed operations in the post-Cold War period.

Following the first panel, a coffee break is scheduled, which will provide an opportunity for informal discussions and exchange of views among conference participants.

The second panel will be devoted to the military dimension of Russian military operations. This part will be moderated by Professor Maciej Milczanowski from the University of Rzeszów. The discussion will include: Dr Marek Madej, Professor, Dr Piotr Śledź, Dr Rod Thornton from King’s College and Professor Katri Pynnöniemi from the University of Helsinki. The panel will focus on the course, nature and specificity of the military operations of the Russian Federation.

Conference participants will then have the opportunity to go for lunch.

The final part of the conference will address the legal dimension of the military operations of the Russian Federation. The panel will be moderated by Dr Spasimir Domaradzki. Speakers will include: Dr Patrycja Grzebyk, Professor, Dr Agnieszka Bieńczyk-Missala, Professor, Professor Stefanie Bock from Marburg University and Dr René Värk from the University of Tartu. The discussion will cover the legal aspects of Russian armed operations, including their consequences from the perspective of international law.

We invite all those interested in international security, the foreign policy of the Russian Federation, international law and contemporary armed conflicts.