Robert C. Castel: War Is Not a Video Game + Video

When evaluating the recent Sumy attack that caused civilian deaths, several factors need to be considered. However, in general, deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure—such as apartment blocks or shopping centers—is not a characteristic of the Russia–Ukraine war, Robert C. Castel, senior contributor at Magyar Nemzet and security policy advisor at the Center for Fundamental Rights, emphasized on the Front podcast. This week’s episode also discusses Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, the counter-event organized by Kyiv, Putin's talks with Witkoff, and the situation in the Middle East.

Robert C. Castel (Photo: Sandor Csudai)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Presidential Advisor on Foreign Policy Yuri Ushakov arrive in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on options for ending the war in Ukraine. February 18, 2025 (Photo: MTI/EPA/Russian Foreign Ministry)

The podcast also covers:

• The current state of the Russia–Ukraine front
• Victory Day celebrations in Russia and the counter-event organized by Kyiv
• The Putin–Witkoff negotiations
• The situation in the Middle East