Ukraine has thousands of veterans who would be called to serve in the reserves
Many of them fought Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas region. They say they are ready to fight again.
Europe
A former U.S. ambassador to NATO looks at what is at stake for the military alliance
NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Douglas Lute about why NATO is at the heart of the tension between Russia and the West and where the alliance might be headed.
Newly deployed U.S. troops arrive in Europe as Russia bolsters its own forces
New satellite images show the buildup of Russian forces and equipment along Ukraine's borders with western Russia, Belarus and Crimea — including new tents, an indicator that troops may be present.
Citizens of Rostov-on-Don could be caught in the middle of a Russia-Ukraine war
In Rostov-on-Don, the largest Russian city near the border with Ukraine, some residents are bracing for a possible war. But many others are going on with their normal routines.
Explaining the U.S. military presence in Europe as 2,000 more troops deploy
The number of U.S. troops in Europe has shrunk dramatically since the end of the Cold War — but tensions with Russia since 2014 have prompted U.S. leaders to beef up numbers and move troops eastward.
Discovery of HIV variant shows virus can evolve to be more severe — and contagious
Findings from a new study help answer questions about why some people get more severe and transmissible HIV than others — and serve as a reminder that viruses don't always weaken over time.
After death of ISIS leader, U.S. expects Islamic State to try to replace him
NPR's Steve Inskeep and NPR's Rachel Martin talk to Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby about the death of the Islamic State leader after a U.S. raid in Syria, and concerns of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
News brief: Ukraine-Belarus border, Winter Olympics, storm hits Memphis hard
Russian troops hold military exercises in Belarus, across the border from Ukraine. The Beijing Winter Olympics officially open Friday. A storm brings freezing rain and snow to millions of Americans.
At Ukraine-Belarus border, Ukrainians are pretty calm despite Russian troop buildup
Russia is conducting military exercises in Belarus but most Ukrainians living along the border say it's nothing to worry about.
Russian aggression forces Ukrainians to reflect on previous generations' trauma
Ukrainians across generations talk of trauma dating back to when the country was part of the Soviet Union.