experts
Michael Kofman
Senior Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Program

about


Michael Kofman is a senior fellow in the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he focuses on the Russian military, Ukrainian armed forces, and Eurasian security issues. Prior to joining Carnegie in 2023, he served as director of the Russia Studies Program at the Center for Naval Analyses, where he led a team conducting research on the capabilities, strategy, and military thought of the Russian Armed Forces. Widely recognized as one of the leading authorities on the Russian military, and the Russo-Ukrainian war, Kofman has led foundational work in the field, and is routinely cited in major publications.

Aside from his work at Carnegie, Kofman is a contributing editor at War on the Rocks, where he hosts the Russia Contingency, a bi-weekly podcast on the Russian military and the Russia-Ukraine war. He previously served as a research fellow and program manager at the National Defense University. Past fellowships have included the Modern War Institute at West Point, Center for New American Security, and the Woodrow Wilson Center.


education
MA, International Security, Georgetown University BA, Political Science, Northeastern University.
languages
Russian

All work from Michael Kofman

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35 Results
In The Media
in the media
Putin’s Point of No Return

After almost three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor, Putin is now more committed than ever to the war with Ukraine and his broader confrontation with the West.

· December 18, 2024
Foreign Affairs
In The Media
in the media
Waiting for a Theory of Victory in Ukraine

A high-level conversation on the strategy in the war in Ukraine and where it is headed.

· December 4, 2024
War on the Rocks
In The Media
in the media
North Korean Troops Join Russian Forces on the Frontlines

A conversation about discuss what’s happening on the battlefield in Ukraine and how President-elect Donald Trump’s victory could change the trajectory of the war in Ukraine.

· November 15, 2024
WBUR’s Here and Now
In The Media
in the media
As Ukraine Stumbles and Russia Advances, What Does it Mean?

A conversation about how North Korean troops, manpower woes, and Donald Trump coming back to the Oval Office could mean for Ukraine.

· November 12, 2024
War on the Rocks Podcast
In The Media
in the media
Ukraine Research Trip Notes: Fall 2024, Part 1

A conversation about the changing situation in Ukraine.

· November 6, 2024
War on the Rocks’ The Russia Contingency with Michael Kofman
In The Media
in the media
Why Russia Is in More Trouble Than It Looks

An interview on the state of play on the battlefield, Ukraine’s surprise incursion into Russian territory, and Vladimir Putin’s recent nuclear saber-rattling.

· October 8, 2024
New York Magazine
Source: Getty
paper
Assessing Russian Military Adaptation in 2023

Russian forces proved more flexible and effective in the conduct of defensive operations in 2023. Yet the Russian military remained committed to defending forward and aggressively counterattacking in a manner that proved costly to the force.

· October 8, 2024
In The Media
in the media
The Meaning of Creeping Ukrainian Losses in the East

A discussion of territorial losses in the Donbas, the situation in Kursk, manpower challenges on both sides, and how Ukraine is seeking war termination on favorable terms.

· September 29, 2024
War on the Rocks Podcast
In The Media
in the media
Missile Diplomacy: What Is a Winning Strategy in Ukraine?

A conversation about the state of Russia’s war against Ukraine and the potential role of Western long-range missiles.

· September 20, 2024
Independent Thinking with Bronwen Maddox Podcast
In The Media
in the media
Mike Kofman and Rob Lee on the West’s Aid to Ukraine, and the Debate Over Red Lines and Escalation

A discussion on the latest phase of the war in Ukraine.

· September 9, 2024
Russian Roulette Podcast