The Battlefield Laboratory — The Weekly

Molly McKew (writer and lecturer on Russian influence and information warfare) joins Host Ron Steslow to take stock of the war shifting beneath the surface. They begin with the state of the fighting: Putin’s nuclear theater around Victory Day and the quiet vibe shift on the battlefield as Ukrainian resilience compounds. From there, they turn to Ukraine as a laboratory for the future of war: unmanned systems, data hubs, and the battlefield coordination American defense companies are scrambling to get their hands on. They also weigh the dual-use dilemma of companies like Palantir, whose tools help Ukraine target Russian commanders abroad while building surveillance architecture at home. Then, they examine Europe’s slow awakening from its post-World War II illusions and the persistent reach of Russian hybrid influence. Finally, they unpack the pro-Russian talking points that are proliferating on both ends of the political spectrum and refuse to die. In Politicology+, they dig into what Viktor Orbán’s defeat means for European unity on Ukraine, the differences between healthy and toxic nationalism, and how Europe is quietly rebuilding its defense planning where Article 5 can’t be assumed. POLITICOLOGY+ Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don’t miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus. Check out Molly’s Newsletter: https://www.greatpower.us/ CONTRIBUTE TO POLITICOLOGY politicology.com/donate SPONSORS & PROMO CODES https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8 Send your questions and ideas to [e-mail] or leave a voicemail at ‪[phone]‬ Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/MollyMcKew Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices