Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [Aug 18, ’26] Bendett & Rumer on Tenuous Nature of Russia-Ukraine Conflict

On today’s Land Warfare program, sponsored by American Rheinmetall, Sam Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses and Dr. Eugene Rumer, the director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, join Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian to discuss the tenuous nature of the Ukraine war as both sides grapple for advantage over the front; use of autonomy, AI and unmanned ground systems; how Ukraine can defend itself from Russian ballistic missile attacks; role of North Korea in supporting Russia and the lessons Pyongyang is learning from the conflict; Vladimir Putin’s stability as the war becomes increasingly unpopular wi the Russians as Duma elections loom; and the Russian leader’s visit to the Kuril Islands last week.