The Association of the U.S. Army is hosting a webinar on what could be driving Russia’s actions along its border with Ukraine.

“Understanding Russia’s Grand Strategy” will begin at 2 p.m. Eastern on Feb. 24. This special edition of AUSA’s Noon Report webinar series will feature Andrew Monaghan, director of the Russia Research Network.

The event is free, but registration is required here.

Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops on its border with Ukraine, and tensions have soared over concerns of an invasion, with smaller NATO countries worrying they could be next. 

In response, the U.S. is deploying about 6,000 soldiers to bolster its Eastern European allies, and another 8,500 troops are on alert to support the NATO Response Force if it is activated by the alliance.

What remains to be seen is what Russian President Vladimir Putin will do next.

Is he a strategist or an opportunistic tactician? Is Russia a long-term challenge or a state in decline?

With Russia growing increasingly assertive on the world stage—developing relations with China and challenging the Euro-Atlantic community with its activity around Ukraine—it is essential to understand what Russian power in the 21st century means.

During the webinar, Monaghan will discuss the rebirth of Russian Grand Strategy, the nature of Russian state mobilization, and how to think about Russian futures in an era of global power competition.

Monaghan is a George F. Kennan Fellow at the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute and a senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London.

He is the author of many articles on Russia and several books, including Dealing with the Russians and Power in Modern Russia—Strategy and Mobilisation. His book Russian Grand Strategy in an Era of Global Power Competition will be published in April.