Humanities Seminar: Ominous Consequences

For rising 9th-12th grade students: On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special military operation amassed a staggering concentration of force on the doorstep of Kiev. With superior numbers and armament, the Russian military machine, as with much of the world, anticipated a blitz offensive that would topple the Ukrainian government, install a puppet regime, and bring Ukraine once again under the yoke of Russian rule. Instead, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has halted Russian advances and turned Ukraine into a defiant icon of resistance in the face of tyrannical power.

This 4-day seminar will explore the current state of Russo-Ukrainian affairs by examining the failures of Russian planning, force stability issues, and a catastrophically toxic and archaic military culture.

Students will also understand the architecture of Ukrainian success through a study of advanced technology (think: HIMARS, Bayraktar TB2 and Reaper drones, and Javelin missiles), strategic and tactical use of feints (deception and distraction), billions of dollars in Western aid, and the ‘no-compromise’ stance of Ukrainian leadership. Adding to the complexity, Putin’s nuclear threats have now made the stakes higher than ever as the whole of Europe, if not the world, will be impacted should he follow through.

For students who are looking to wrestle with topics in 21st-century warfare and their ominous consequences, this is a can’t miss course.