What Mariupol Taught the World About Modern War (video interview)

05/17/2026

Mariupol was not simply another destroyed city in the Russia-Ukraine war. According to author and war correspondent James Verini, it became a window into something much larger: the future of warfare itself. In this interview, we discuss what the siege of Mariupol revealed about Russia’s military strategy, the deliberate targeting of civilians, the role of terror in modern conflict, and how propaganda now shapes reality almost as much as bombs and missiles.

We also examine one of the deepest ironies of the war: Mariupol was heavily Russian-speaking, yet it suffered some of the worst destruction of the invasion. Verini explains how the siege shattered many assumptions Ukrainians once held about Russia — and how it permanently transformed Ukrainian identity. We discuss the horrifying disconnect between survivors and relatives inside Russia who refused to believe what had happened, even when hearing directly from family members who endured the siege.

Finally, we explore the broader implications for the future: what Mariupol teaches us about urban warfare, information warfare, civilian vulnerability, authoritarian propaganda systems, and the dangers facing the world if the lessons of Mariupol are ignored or misunderstood.

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