Mildly Alarmed

In this episode, Minna sits down with Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and the Stuart Center in Euro-Atlantic and Northern European Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to discuss the US midterm election results and what the blue wave means for US foreign policy.If you want to support our show, go to our Buy Me A Coffee page at http://buymeacoffee.com/mildlyalarmed You can support Anastasiia’s fundraiser for portable batteries for Kyiv residents at https://greekchorusfoundation.org/#battery Email us at [email protected] with any guest feedback, suggestions, and questions.  Mentioned in the show: “Musk bet big on keeping Texas red. What happens to his business empire now?”, from CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/11/05/business/musk-texas-donations-midterms-spacex-tesla “Can the Nordic Model Save NATO?, from Foreign Affairs: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/northern-europe/can-nordic-model-save-natoCredits: Anastasiia Lapatina is Ukraine Fellow at Lawfare. She writes a weekly newsletter about Ukraine called Yours Ukrainian. She is based in Kyiv. Karen-Anna Eggen is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. She is based in Oslo.Fabian Hoffman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. He is the author of the Missile Matters newsletter about defence, missile technology, and nuclear strategy. He is based in Oslo.Minna Ålander is an Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. She’s also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Non-Resident Fellow at CEPA. Minna also writes a newsletter about European security called Northern Flank Notes. She is based in Stockholm.The podcast is engineered by Anthony Bartaway, who is also the co-host of a podcast called Ukraine Without Hype: / @ukrainewithouthype

In this episode, Anastasiia, Minna, Karen-Anna and Fabian discuss the ceasefire in Oleshky and an episode of civil unrest in Kyiv that had all signs of being a Russian psychological operation. If you want to support our show, go to our Buy Me A Coffee page at http://buymeacoffee.com/mildlyalarmed You can support Anastasiia’s fundraiser for portable batteries for Kyiv residents at https://greekchorusfoundation.org/#battery Email us at [email protected] with any guest feedback, suggestions, and questions.  Mentioned in the show: “Ukrainian evacuees reunite with family after years trapped in Russia-occupied city”, from BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqx2818elrnzo “Civil unrest near Kyiv exposes deeper social tensions but 'outside influence' played a role, Budanov says”, from the Kyiv Independent: https://kyivindependent.com/confrontation-involving-national-guard-soldiers-unfolds-near-kyiv-police-deny-hostage-reports/ “The ambulance has been sold, and the company is no longer operating: Who spread the information about the illegal detention of soldiers in Petropavlivska Borshchahivka?”, from Slidstvo.Info: https://www.slidstvo.info/news/shvydku-prodaly-kompaniia-ne-pratsiuie-khto-poshyryv-informatsiiu-pro-nezakonne-utrymannia-viyskovykh-u-petropavlivskiy-borshchahivtsi/Credits: Anastasiia Lapatina is Ukraine Fellow at Lawfare. She writes a weekly newsletter about Ukraine called Yours Ukrainian. She is based in Kyiv. Karen-Anna Eggen is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. She is based in Oslo.Fabian Hoffman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. He is the author of the Missile Matters newsletter about defence, missile technology, and nuclear strategy. He is based in Oslo.Minna Ålander is an Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. She’s also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Non-Resident Fellow at CEPA. Minna also writes a newsletter about European security called Northern Flank Notes. She is based in Stockholm.The podcast is engineered by Anthony Bartaway, who is also the co-host of a podcast called Ukraine Without Hype: / @ukrainewithouthype

In this episode, Anastasiia and Fabian are joined by Eric Ciaramella, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endownment for International Peace who’s spent more than a decade working on Ukraine inside the US government. They discuss the disruption of the Starshield service for Ukraine, Donald Trump’s diplomacy with Russia, and the possibility of a limited ceasefire in Ukraine.If you want to support our show, go to our Buy Me A Coffee page at http://buymeacoffee.com/mildlyalarmed You can support Anastasiia’s fundraiser for portable batteries for Kyiv residents at https://greekchorusfoundation.org/#battery Email us at [email protected] with any guest feedback, suggestions, and questions.  Mentioned in the show: “Analysis: Ukraine’s Starshield access is still crippled, and no one is taking the blame”, from the Kyiv Independent https://kyivindependent.com/analysis-ukraines-starshield-access-is-still-crippled-soldiers-civilians-are-paying-the-price/ “Ukraine Can Turn Imminent Peril to Its Advantage: How a True “Energy Cease-Fire”, Can Curb Putin” from Foreign Affairs ⁠https://www.foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/ukraine-can-turn-imminent-peril-its-advantage⁠ “Dissecting Trump’s Deal for Russian Diesel”, from Lawfare ⁠https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/dissecting-trump-s-deal-for-russian-diesel⁠ Credits: Anastasiia Lapatina is Ukraine Fellow at Lawfare. She writes a weekly newsletter about Ukraine called Yours Ukrainian. She is based in Kyiv. Karen-Anna Eggen is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. She is based in Oslo.Fabian Hoffman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. He is the author of the Missile Matters newsletter about defence, missile technology, and nuclear strategy. He is based in Oslo.Minna Ålander is an Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. She’s also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Non-Resident Fellow at CEPA. Minna also writes a newsletter about European security called Northern Flank Notes. She is based in Stockholm.The podcast is engineered by Anthony Bartaway, who is also the co-host of a podcast called Ukraine Without Hype: / @ukrainewithouthype  

In this episode, Minna, Anastasiia and Fabian are joined by Marek Kohv, head of the Security and Resilience Programme at the International Centre for Defence and Security in Tallinn, to discuss Estonia’s new active defence doctrine and why Russia cannot just take the border town Narva, despite the popularity of “Narva scenarios” in Western media and analyses.If you want to support our show, go to our Buy Me A Coffee page at http://buymeacoffee.com/mildlyalarmed You can support Anastasiia’s fundraiser for portable batteries for Kyiv residents at https://greekchorusfoundation.org/#battery Email us at [email protected] with any guest feedback, suggestions, and questions.  Mentioned in the show: “Estonia shifts troops closer to Russia in ‘active defence’ push”, from The Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/content/0293497e-e4b5-473e-be49-67d1fc005fae?syn-25a6b1a6=1 “Narva Is Actually Alright”, from Northern Flank Notes: https://minnalander.substack.com/p/narva-is-actually-alright “Ukrainian Drone Operator Who Helped Demolish NATO Troops in Estonia a Year Ago Returns to Find Big Improvements”, from The Baltic Sentinel: https://balticsentinel.eu/8481547/ukrainian-drone-operator-who-helped-demolish-nato-troops-in-estonia-a-year-ago-returns-to-find-big-improvements “Spending 5% on defence doesn’t make Nato stronger”, from The Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/content/deaf0379-9426-4e60-af75-25633d8dfa1f Credits: Anastasiia Lapatina is Ukraine Fellow at Lawfare. She writes a weekly newsletter about Ukraine called Yours Ukrainian. She is based in Kyiv. Karen-Anna Eggen is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. She is based in Oslo.Fabian Hoffman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. He is the author of the Missile Matters newsletter about defence, missile technology, and nuclear strategy. He is based in Oslo.Minna Ålander is an Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. She’s also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Non-Resident Fellow at CEPA. Minna also writes a newsletter about European security called Northern Flank Notes. She is based in Stockholm.The podcast is engineered by Anthony Bartaway, who is also the co-host of a podcast called Ukraine Without Hype: / @ukrainewithouthype

In this episode, Karen-Anna, Anastasiia and Fabian catch up on the latest Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, pick apart Trump's recent announcements on an energy ceasefire and a diesel deal with Russia, and hear from Anastasiia about how Kyiv is (and isn't) preparing for another brutal winter.If you want to support our show, go to our Buy Me A Coffee page at http://buymeacoffee.com/mildlyalarmed Email us at [email protected] with any guest feedback, suggestions, and questions.  Support a fundraiser to buy batteries ahead of winter in Ukraine here: https://greekchorusfoundation.org Mentioned in the show: “As Russian missiles slip through Kyiv’s air defenses without warning, officials say US intelligence remains intact — for now”, from the Kyiv Independent: https://kyivindependent.com/as-russian-missiles-slip-through-kyivs-air-defenses-without-warning-officials-say-us-intelligence-remains-intact-for-now/“Trump, Ukraine, Putin, and Fuel”, from The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/10/trump-ukraine-putin-fuel/688974/“Kushner and Witkoff Russia Oil Deal”, from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/03/us/politics/kushner-witkoff-russia-oil-deal.html“US hopes diesel deal can ‘soften’ Moscow on peace talks, sources say”, from Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/us-hopes-diesel-deal-can-soften-moscow-peace-talks-sources-say-2026-10-12/"Russia and Ukraine Pummel Each Other’s Energy Infrastructure" from Lawfare: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/russia-and-ukraine-pummel-each-other-s-energy-infrastructureCredits: Anastasiia Lapatina is Ukraine Fellow at Lawfare. She writes a weekly newsletter about Ukraine called Yours Ukrainian. She is based in Kyiv. Karen-Anna Eggen is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. She is based in Oslo.Fabian Hoffman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. He is the author of the Missile Matters newsletter about defence, missile technology, and nuclear strategy. He is based in Oslo.Minna Ålander is an Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. She’s also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Non-Resident Fellow at CEPA. Minna also writes a newsletter about European security called Northern Flank Notes. She is based in Stockholm.The podcast is engineered by Anthony Bartaway, who is also the co-host of a podcast called Ukraine Without Hype: / @ukrainewithouthype

In this episode, Minna and Fabian are joined by Héloïse Fayet, Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Deterrence and Proliferation program at the French Institute for International Affairs (IFRI) to discuss the impact of AI on nuclear weapons and how social media impact nuclear signalling.If you want to support our show, go to our Buy Me A Coffee page at http://buymeacoffee.com/mildlyalarmed Email us at [email protected] with any guest feedback, suggestions, and questions.  Mentioned in the show: “Algorithms of misperception: Managing nuclear risk in an AI world”, by Héloïse Fayet. https://thebulletin.org/premium/2025-12/algorithms-of-misperception-managing-nuclear-risk-in-an-ai-world/#post-heading “Three Tweets to Midnight: Effects of the Global Information Ecosystem on the Risk of Nuclear Conflict”, by Harold A. Trinkunas, Herbert Lin, Benjamin Loehrke. https://www.hoover.org/research/three-tweets-midnight Glossary of abbreviations used in the show:STRATCOM: US Strategic Command (one of the Department of War’s 11 unified commands responsible, among others responsible for planning and implementing U.S. strategic nuclear deterrence missions)DoD/DoW: US Department of Defense/Department of War C2: Command and ControlISR: Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Credits: Anastasiia Lapatina is Ukraine Fellow at Lawfare. She writes a weekly newsletter about Ukraine called Yours Ukrainian. She is based in Kyiv. Karen-Anna Eggen is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. She is based in Oslo.Fabian Hoffman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. He is the author of the Missile Matters newsletter about defence, missile technology, and nuclear strategy. He is based in Oslo.Minna Ålander is an Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. She’s also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Non-Resident Fellow at CEPA. Minna also writes a newsletter about European security called Northern Flank Notes. She is based in Stockholm.The podcast is engineered by Anthony Bartaway, who is also the co-host of a podcast called Ukraine Without Hype: / @ukrainewithouthype  

In this episode, Minna and Anastasiia discuss with Jade McGlynn, Head of Ukraine and Russia Programme at the Centre for Statecraft and National Security, King’s College London, the nonstop Russian air attacks on Kyiv, Jade’s work on the occupied territories, and what and how Russia, Ukraine and Ukraine’s partners are learning from the war.If you want to support our show, go to our Buy Me A Coffee page at http://buymeacoffee.com/mildlyalarmed Email us at [email protected] with any guest feedback, suggestions, and questions.  Mentioned in the show: “Ukraine’s Temporarily Occupied Territories (TOT): research, data, and primary sources”, from King's College London's Centre for Statecraft and National Security: https://totinsights.org/ “September 30, 2026 - Dubai to Tel Aviv flight diverted to Saudi Arabia”, from CNN: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/30/world/live-news/dubai-israel-plane-flydubai-intl “The Techno-Religion at the Center of the A.I. Debate”, from the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/18/podcasts/the-daily/the-techno-religion-at-the-center-of-the-ai-debate.html Credits: Anastasiia Lapatina is Ukraine Fellow at Lawfare. She writes a weekly newsletter about Ukraine called Yours Ukrainian. She is based in Kyiv. Karen-Anna Eggen is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. She is based in Oslo.Fabian Hoffman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. He is the author of the Missile Matters newsletter about defence, missile technology, and nuclear strategy. He is based in Oslo.Minna Ålander is an Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. She’s also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Non-Resident Fellow at CEPA. Minna also writes a newsletter about European security called Northern Flank Notes. She is based in Stockholm.The podcast is engineered by Anthony Bartaway, who is also the co-host of a podcast called Ukraine Without Hype: / @ukrainewithouthype

In this episode, Minna sits down with Aaron Gasch Burnett, a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Strategic Statecraft to discuss what’s really in the idea that Canada could become the first-ever “associate member” of the EU, as suggested by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her State of the Union speech on 16 September.If you want to support our show, go to our Buy Me A Coffee page at http://buymeacoffee.com/mildlyalarmed Email us at [email protected] with any guest feedback, suggestions, and questions.  Mentioned in the show: “It’s Not the Economy, Stupid”, from Northern Flank Notes: https://minnalander.substack.com/p/its-not-the-economy-stupid “Mark Carney’s Audacious Bid to Make Canada an ’Associate Member’ of the EU”, from the Wall Street Journal: https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/canada-alliance-eu-carney-276f1778 “In Strasbourg, a muted Carney reins in EU enthusiasm and gives no answers”, from the Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-in-strasbourg-a-muted-carney-reins-in-eu-enthusiasm-and-gives-no/ “State of the Union 2026”, speech by Ursula von der Leyen: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/state-union_en “Prime Minister Carney meets with President of France Emmanuel Macron”, from Prime Minister of Canada official website: https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/readouts/2026/09/20/prime-minister-carney-meets-president-france-emmanuel-macron “LNG deal a rare triple win for Germany, Canada and national unity”, from the Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-lng-deal-energy-security-germany-national-unity/“Trump is right to fear a Canada-Europe team-up. But Canada must step up”, from the Globe and Mail: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/commentary/article-trump-is-right-to-fear-a-canada-europe-team-up-but-canada-must-rise-to/ Credits: Anastasiia Lapatina is Ukraine Fellow at Lawfare. She writes a weekly newsletter about Ukraine called Yours Ukrainian. She is based in Kyiv. Karen-Anna Eggen is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. She is based in Oslo.Fabian Hoffman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. He is the author of the Missile Matters newsletter about defence, missile technology, and nuclear strategy. He is based in Oslo.Minna Ålander is an Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. She’s also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Non-Resident Fellow at CEPA. Minna also writes a newsletter about European security called Northern Flank Notes. She is based in Stockholm.The podcast is engineered by Anthony Bartaway, who is also the co-host of a podcast called Ukraine Without Hype: / @ukrainewithouthype

In this episode, Karen-Anna takes a closer look at China with Professor Øystein Tunsjø of the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. Their conversation explores China’s global ambitions, its relationship with the United States, its interests in Europe, and why Xi Jinping continues to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.If you want to support our show, go to our Buy Me A Coffee page at http://buymeacoffee.com/mildlyalarmed Email us at [email protected] with any guest feedback, suggestions, and questions.  Mentioned in the show: “Europe hesitates as Russian hybrid attacks escalate,” from POLITICO: https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-hesitates-as-russian-hybrid-attacks-escalate//“The U.S.-China Stability-Instability Paradox: Limited War in East Asia,” by Henrik Stålhane Hiim and Øystein Tunsjø, from International Security: https://direct.mit.edu/isec/article/50/1/152/132726/The-U-S-China-Stability-Instability-Paradox⁠ Credits: Anastasiia Lapatina is Ukraine Fellow at Lawfare. She writes a weekly newsletter about Ukraine called Yours Ukrainian. She is based in Kyiv. Karen-Anna Eggen is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. She is based in Oslo.Fabian Hoffman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. He is the author of the Missile Matters newsletter about defence, missile technology, and nuclear strategy. He is based in Oslo.Minna Ålander is an Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. She’s also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Non-Resident Fellow at CEPA. Minna also writes a newsletter about European security called Northern Flank Notes. She is based in Stockholm.The podcast is engineered by Anthony Bartaway, who is also the co-host of a podcast called Ukraine Without Hype: / @ukrainewithouthype  

Anastasiia, Minna, and Fabian discuss Russia’s latest attacks on Kyiv, the grim future of ballistic missile defense, more corruption scandals engulfing the Ukrainian government, and Europe’s role in Ukraine’s reforms. If you want to support our show, go to our Buy Me A Coffee page at http://buymeacoffee.com/mildlyalarmed Email us at [email protected] with any guest feedback, suggestions, and questions. Mentioned in the show: “Explainer: How a corruption scandal and loyalty to Zelensky brought down Ukraine’s prosecutor general,” from Kyiv Independent: https://kyivindependent.com/explainer-how-a-corruption-scandal-and-loyalty-to-zelensky-brought-down-ukraines-prosecutor-general/“Cornered, Vladimir Putin plans to escalate his war,” from The Economist: ⁠https://www.economist.com/europe/2026/08/30/cornered-vladimir-putin-plans-to-escalate-his-war?giftId=NTI0MjNkNTctNzUwOC00MzQyLThjNmUtMzk4MDAyZTVkOTc2&utm_campaign=gifted_article⁠  Credits: Anastasiia Lapatina is Ukraine Fellow at Lawfare. She writes a weekly newsletter about Ukraine called Yours Ukrainian. She is based in Kyiv. Karen-Anna Eggen is an Associate Professor and the Head of the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. She is based in Oslo.Fabian Hoffman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Programme for Ukraine and Full-Spectrum Threats at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. He is the author of the Missile Matters newsletter about defence, missile technology, and nuclear strategy. He is based in Oslo.Minna Ålander is an Analyst at the Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. She’s also an Associate Fellow at Chatham House and a Non-Resident Fellow at CEPA. Minna also writes a newsletter about European security called Northern Flank Notes. She is based in Stockholm.The podcast is engineered by Anthony Bartaway, who is also the co-host of a podcast called Ukraine Without Hype: / @ukrainewithouthype