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George Barros

@georgewbarros.bsky.social
5.8K followers 113 following 135 posts

Russia Team & GEOINT Team Lead at the Institute for the Study of War. I study war, 🇺🇦, 🇷🇺, & 🇧🇾. Maker of maps and fan of GIS. Led grassroots effort to provide Ukraine Javelins in 2014. W&M alum. understandingwar.org/press-media/st…

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Reposted by George Barros
Tatarigami @tatarigami.bsky.social · 12/10/2025
Our exclusive report on Russia’s tank production is out. Using internal files and state contracts, we show production plans for the next decade and current output. A short thread will follow soon, but for now, you can read the report frontelligence.substack.com/p/exclusive-inside-russias-20262036
frontelligence.substack.com
Exclusive: Inside Russia’s 2026–2036 Tank Fleet Modernization and Buildup Plans
In the spring and summer of 2025, as part of our own operation, our team obtained exclusive documents that provide new insight into Russia’s tank-production plans and confirm the existence of a little...
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
Russia launches 500+ Shahed drones at Ukraine every few days. If Ukraine had tomahawk missiles, Ukraine could destroy the factory in Tatarstan that has the capacity to produce 2,700 of them monthly.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
Current Trump Administration policy is not working. Putin is emboldened. He will not stop unless we stop him.
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 12/06/2025
"Reducing US military aid to Ukraine will neither lead to a sustainable peace in Ukraine nor compel Russian President Vladimir Putin to reassess his theory of victory" understandingwar.org/backgrounder...
understandingwar.org
Institute for the Study of War
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on June 10 that the United States intends to reduce its budget for the purchase of weapons for Ukraine in 2026.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
Maxar collected images of before / after damage to Russian aircraft as a result of Operation Spiderweb. This is not a comprehensive view of the damage. Cloud cover obscured several of the other Russian airbases that were reportedly also struck by drones. 📷 @Maxar
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
Ukraine demonstrated that it can cause strategic effects using FPV drones. Small UAS are not confined to the tactical level of warfare. Tremendous operation.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
Same energy.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
There are things the US can do to *make* Vladimir stop. Putin has vulnerabilities we are either overlooking or choosing not to leverage. Putin is banking on the US letting Russia off the hook despite Russia's own precarious position
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Kateryna Stepanenko @katstepanenko.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
The Kremlin falsely framed Ukraine's extension of martial law & continue mobilization through August as an effort to inhibit the peace process. The Kremlin, however, failed to acknowledge that Russia also has been intensifying its recruitment campaign to continue its war.🧵
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Karolina Hird @karolinahird.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
1/ Today's occupation update focuses heavily on Russia's efforts to deport Ukrainian children and teens to Russia and expose them to Russification programs. I discuss how programs such as "University Shifts" and "Cultural Map 4+85" are just a small part of a much larger ecosystem ⬇️
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Kateryna Stepanenko @katstepanenko.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
Thrilled to share that @cnn.com cited my analysis on the news surrounding a popular Russian commander - Major General Ivan Popov - who attempted to weaponize his popularity & Russian information space to resist his removal from command in July 2023. www.cnn.com/2025/04/15/e... A quick 🧵on Popov:
cnn.com
Russian general ousted after criticizing military top brass to return to battle – in charge of notorious unit of ex-convicts | CNN
One of Russia’s most outspoken generals, sacked and detained after a withering attack on the Defense Ministry two years ago, is returning to the front, according to his lawyer.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
Interesting footage of Russian forces' tactical training to defeat FPV drone threats using shotguns. Russian sport skeet shooters are helping instruct Russian soldiers learn how to hit fast-moving targets with shotguns.
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Kateryna Stepanenko @katstepanenko.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
Putin is likely afraid of having over 700,000 Russian veterans return to Russia in the event of demobilization out of fear that veteran groups could threaten the stability of his regime upon their return. Putin launched a deliberate campaign to suppress veteran civil societies.🧵
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
Satellite imagery collected on March 21 shows damage from Ukrainian strikes on storage facilities at Russia’s Engels airbase. An ammunition & weapons storage area on the airbase's NE edge was damaged. Destroyed buildings & storage bunkers with craters are visible. Image Maxar Technologies
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 15/03/2025
Waiting for Moscow to offer one (1) concession.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 14/03/2025
Available evidence from the battlefield does not indicate any Russian encirclements of Ukrainian forces at scale, and certainly not by the thousands.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
You're falling for Kremlin language and mind games if you think Putin's statement means he accepted the US-Ukrainian 30-day ceasefire deal. Putin actually rejected the terms of President Trump's proposal and is now trying to change the proposal's substance.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
The Kremlin is not responding enthusiastically to the US-Ukraine proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
The temporal correlation between the suspension of US intelligence sharing with Ukraine and the start of Russia's collapse of the Ukrainian Kursk salient is noteworthy.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
Russia, not Ukraine, is the obstacle to peace. This is evident in the data. Russia has intensified its drone/missile strike campaign against Ukraine after President Trump was inaugurated. Ukraine has offered many concessions to start peace processes. Russia has offered zero.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Russia is the obstacle to peace in Ukraine. Not Ukraine. The proper strategy should be to erode Russia's leverage and grant Ukraine leverage until peace talks. Not the other way around.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
Terrible decision. Cutting intel sharing will grant Russian forces enhanced protection at the operational level. Russian battlefield gains have been dropping since late 2024, but this stands to help Russia rebuild lost momentum.
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Jessica Berlin @berlinbridge.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
For the 58th time in two weeks: Europe, stop freaking out over every crazy thing Trump says. He will keep saying crazy things every day, and he changes his mind constantly. Focus on what YOU are going to do to advance Ukrainian victory and undermine Russia.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
Interesting things are happening in Toretsk.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Belarus has ratified an agreement that will allow Russia to build military bases / installations in Belarus, permanently expanding Russia's forward presence on NATO's Eastern flank. Not surprising. I've been forecasting such a development for years. tass.ru/mezhdunarodn...
tass.ru
В Минске ратифицировали договор, позволяющий РФ создавать военные объекты
Документ, в частности, также предусматривает размещение воинских формирований России в Белоруссии
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
Since minerals in Ukraine have become relevant for the policy debate, our interactive control of terrain map of Ukraine now includes Ukrainian minerals. Clicking on a mineral tells the user what it is. storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/36a7...
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Block aid, argue that aid doesn't matter, blame all issues on Ukrianian underperformance vs Western lag and under-resourcing, etc.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff referred to the early 2022 Istanbul protocols as offering "guideposts" for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine on February 23. An agreement based on those protocols would be a capitulation document.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
Any peace deal starting from the basis of the 2022 Istanbul protocols must be a non-starter.
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Institute for the Study of War @thestudyofwar.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff referred to the early 2022 Istanbul protocols as offering "guideposts" for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. An agreement based on those protocols would be a capitulation document.🧵 (1/9)
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Product of necessity. Share with those who need it.
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Institute for the Study of War @thestudyofwar.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
NEW | Russia's Weakness Offers Leverage: The US can use the enormous challenges RUS will face in 2025 as leverage to secure critical concessions in ongoing negotiations to end the war by continuing & even expanding military support to UKR. 1/8 Special Report: isw.pub/RussiaWeakness
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
Training Ground Belarus. The Western intelligence must include Belarus’ training capacity in its assessment of Russian force generation capabilities. The Russian military has leveraged & likely will continue to leverage the Belarusian military as trainers for new Russian forces.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
Important and timely piece by @nataliyabugayova.bsky.social. Indispensable knowledge and arguments for anyone thinking seriously about negotiations for and end to war in Ukraine.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
Completely unacceptable if true. It would be like Western industry is selling the rope for the West's own gallows.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 09/02/2025
Studying war is stressful: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Hobbies are crucial for wellbeing & sustainment. Many don't know this, but one of my hobbies when not working is film photography. I thought I may share some of that hobby here. Here are some 35mm shots I recently took in Normandy.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
Ukraine's operations in Kursk are a complex subject & most reactions proclaiming it to be a total failure/success are often too reductionist. Ukrainian forces have tied up approximately a combined arms army's worth of Russian combat power in Kursk that can't be used elsewhere.
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Institute for the Study of War @thestudyofwar.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
Despite significant military setbacks and mounting economic challenges, Putin has not changed his demands for negotiations with Ukraine. Putin is not interested only in territory. He is interested in the destruction of Ukraine as a sovereign state. Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy6i...
youtube.com
Putin's Poison Pill for Peace Talks
YouTube video by Institute for the Study of War
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
Russia has permanently expanded Russian military basing in Belarus since 2020. In maps: Russia's permanent military presence in Belarus in 2020 vs during Russia's invasion of Ukraine verses 2024.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 21/01/2025
In my latest report for @thestudyofwar.bsky.social I provide an update on the Kremlin’s alarmingly successful strategic effort to de facto annex Belarus. A quick thread.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 05/01/2025
Ukrainian forces have resumed offensive operations in Kursk and are confirmed to have made tactical advances within at least 300 meters of Berdin. Quick thread on tracking tactical Ukrainian advances:
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 03/01/2025
We've given our maps a cosmetic facelift for the new year.
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Alexander St. Leger @alexstleger.bsky.social · 23/12/2024
Concerning SVR press release regarding Moldova’s gas crisis, claiming Sandu wants a military seizure of MGRES. Moscow will probably end up covering supply using Trans-Balkan pipeline — but Russia has always used gas negotiations to pressure Chisinau into different economic/political concessions.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 22/12/2024
Geolocated combat footage posted on December 22 confirms that Ukrainian forces made tactical gains on the Zaporizhia frontline south of Kamianske, as Russian sources reported on December 20 and 21. Russian forces previously advanced in this area in October 2024.
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Kateryna Stepanenko @katstepanenko.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
The Russian use of drones and drone innovation may degrade over the coming months as a result of the Russian Ministry of Defense's (MoD) coordinated effort to establish the Unmanned Systems Forces within the Russian Armed Forces. A thread on my latest analysis: isw.pub/RussianDrone...
understandingwar.org
Institute for the Study of War
The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) launched a coordinated effort in August 2024 to create a centralized separate branch for unmanned systems, likely to reorganize informal specialized drone detachm...
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 14/12/2024
This is why one needs landmines.
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Tatarigami @tatarigami.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
In 2015, Russia dramatically entered the Syrian war, firing missiles from the Caspian Sea and launching airstrikes. The display was meant to herald Moscow's resurgence as a global power capable of projecting force across the globe. After nearly a decade of effort, they lost
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Darth Putin @darthputinkgb.bsky.social · 08/12/2024
So basically, every Russian I sent to die in Syria died for nothing. I remain a master strategist.
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George Barros @georgewbarros.bsky.social · 07/12/2024
Russian VDV Telegram Channel "VDV for Honor and Justice" reported that Ukrainian forces landed on the left bank of the Dnipro River near Oleshky, Kherson Oblast. We've not observed confirmation or supporting reporting at this time.
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Institute for the Study of War @thestudyofwar.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
2/ Russian forces have suffered an estimated 125,800 casualties during a period of intensified offensive operations in Sept-Nov 2024 in exchange for 2,356 sq km of gains. (Or approximately 53 Russian casualties per square kilometer of Ukrainian territory seized.) isw.pub/UkrWar120524
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