Oscar Jonsson: Russian lessons from the war in Ukraine

Understanding how Russia thinks about war has become a matter of urgent importance. Oscar Jonsson, Director of Phronesis Analysis, Associate Senior Lecturer at the Swedish Defence University, and Senior Associate Fellow at the NATO Defence College, discusses Russian military doctrine and decision-making. Jonsson explains how Russia blurs the boundary between war and peace, how its armed forces are organised, and what this means for future conflict with NATO. The discussion also examines how the war is reshaping European defence thinking – from mobilisation and deterrence to the growing importance of drones, software, and what Jonsson calls the “revolution of precise mass”. The interview, conducted by historian and senior editor Paul Lay, was recorded in October 2025 during the seminar Intelligence and Contemporary Global Challenges. See also Axess Television's website: https://www.axesstelevision.com/ Axess Television on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/axesstelevision/ Axess Television on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/axesstelevision