A panel discussion at the Global Security Forum( GSF) 2023 that got underway at Sheraton Doha yesterday explored the implications arising out of the Ukrain War.
Titled ‘War in Ukraine: Impacts & Implications’ the discussion provided insights into what is currently happening at the warfront. The session reflected on the current state and future prospects of the ongoing war in Ukraine. In addition to the traditional military dimensions of the conflict, participants also discussed the role and impact of various state and non-state actors and the implications for global security.
The participants at the session were: Ambassador Nathan Sales, senior fellow, the Soufan Centre; Dr Bilyana Lilly, chair of the Resilience Track, Warsaw Security Forum and Dr Kacper Rekawek, postdoctoral fellow, University of Oslo Centre for Research on Extremism. The session was moderated by Jason Blazakis, senior research fellow at the Soufan Centre.
Ambassador Sales pointed that it is critical to defend Ukraine otherwise it could lead to many other areas. He said: “What happens in Ukraine will not stop there. But it is also critical to remind people why and how this war is critical to defending their own values and interests.”
“ It is a war waged on the cyber world so fiercely. Russia has been targeting the supporters of Ukraine with cyber-attacks and phishing. Russia has increased its social media presence over the last one year through several social media handles in a number of languages,” explained, Dr Lilly.
"Phishing campaigns against NATO members supporting Ukraine have increased by 300%, which shows the vast activity that has been happening in cyberspace,” she added.
According to Rekawek, there’s a huge community of humanitarians who provide all sorts of staff for Ukrainian frontline. He noted that the war if prolonged, could be far more problematic.
“The longer the war goes on in Ukraine, the greater the risk of certain movements within Russia, where far-right groups dissatisfied with progress on the frontlines are likely to foment more violence and instability,” he added.
Participants at the at the discussion. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam
