Institute for the Study of War
Washington think tank publishing daily battlefield assessments of the Russia-Ukraine war since 2007.
Last refreshed: 30 March 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can a think tank track both sides of a war without being captured by one?
Latest on Institute for the Study of War
- What is the Institute for the Study of War?
- The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) is a Washington, D.C.-based non-partisan defence research organisation founded in 2007. It publishes daily battlefield assessments of the Russia-Ukraine war, including interactive control maps and order-of-battle analysis used by Western governments and military staffs.Source: ISW
- Did ISW confirm Russia’s spring 2026 offensive?
- Yes. In March 2026 ISW assessed that Russia’s spring-summer offensive was under way, corroborating Ukrainian General Staff data showing 619 ground attacks over four days from 17 to 20 March, with 163 directed at the Pokrovsk axis alone.Source: ISW / Syrskyi briefing
- What did ISW find about Russian territorial gains in early 2026?
- ISW data, compiled with the Harvard Belfer Center, showed Russia’s advance rate had decelerated fivefold between mid-2025 and February 2026, from 130-150 sq km per week to 33-50 sq km per week. Russia recorded its first sustained net territorial loss since 2023 in the period 17 February to 17 March 2026.Source: ISW / Harvard Belfer Center
- How does ISW differ from the Harvard Belfer Center on Ukraine analysis?
- ISW produces the underlying daily battlefield data (event logs, control maps, order-of-battle). The Harvard Belfer Center’s Russia Matters project synthesises ISW’s raw data into longer-run trend analysis. The two organisations collaborated directly on the February-March 2026 territorial assessment.Source: ISW / Harvard Belfer Center
- Is ISW reliable for Ukraine war reporting?
- ISW is widely cited by Western governments, military staffs, and major news outlets as a primary source for battlefield analysis. Russia disputes its findings, calling it a Western-funded propaganda outlet. ISW’s assessments are corroborated by Ukrainian General Staff data and, in the 2026 territorial study, by the Harvard Belfer Center.Source: ISW
Background
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) is a Washington, D.C.-based non-partisan defence research organisation founded in 2007 by Kimberly Kagan. It produces daily battlefield assessments, interactive control maps, and order-of-battle analysis of the Russia-Ukraine war, and has become a primary reference for Western governments, military staffs, and journalists tracking the conflict.
In March 2026, ISW confirmed that Russia had launched its spring-summer offensive, recording 619 ground attacks over four days from 17 to 20 March . Working with the Harvard Belfer Center, ISW data documented the first sustained net Ukrainian territorial gain since 2023, with Russia’s advance rate decelerating fivefold between mid-2025 and early 2026 . ISW had earlier assessed that Ukrainian counterattacks in Zaporizhzhia "significantly complicated Russia’s plans" for a spring push .
ISW’s assessments carry particular weight because they directly shape Western military and policy thinking. The tension in its 2026 reporting is stark: ISW simultaneously confirmed Russia’s offensive was under way and documented Ukraine’s counter-gains forcing Russian redeployment, leaving open the question of which trajectory dominates.
