Video Library
A small set of verified expert videos from major institutions, organized by theme, with a short “why this matters” note above each and a summary below. We only embed videos confirmed as real and from official channels — privacy-enhanced, no autoplay.
Ukraine History & Sovereignty
The Making of Modern Ukraine. Class 1
Why this matters: the clearest starting point for the long history of Ukrainian sovereignty and statehood — the context behind everything else in this guide.
Summary: the opening lecture of Yale historian Timothy Snyder’s course on the making of modern Ukraine. Watch the full Yale lecture series.
Defense Transition & Acquisition
Intro: How To Work With DIU
Why this matters: a plain introduction to the fastest commercial-to-DoD pathway, from the office that runs it.
Summary: DIU explains how it works with commercial companies. See the full How To Work With DIU series page.
Recovery, Defense Industry & Resilience
Ukraine Recovery Conference 2026 — Gdansk, June 24-26
Why this matters: recovery and defense-industrial resilience are being organized together, in real time. The 2026 conference is happening now in Gdansk, co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine.
We do not embed an unverified livestream. Official recordings and livestream will be linked here when confirmed available; until then, see the official site and the explainer.
Modern War & Drones
The Russia-Ukraine Drone War: Innovation on the Frontlines and Beyond
Why this matters: the drone war is the single most important technology story of the conflict. This CSIS panel brings together Ukrainian and U.S. analysts on how it is being fought.
Summary: a full expert discussion of FPV drones, attritable systems, counter-UAS, and the production race — and what it means for U.S. and allied forces.
Ukraine, Russia, and the Future of UAVs in War | Ask CSIS
Why this matters: a short, accessible explainer on where unmanned aerial vehicles are heading, useful as a first watch before the longer panel.
Summary: a concise CSIS “Ask CSIS” segment on the trajectory of UAVs in the Russia-Ukraine war and the future of unmanned air power.
Beyond promises: thirty years since the Budapest Memorandum
Why this matters: the Budapest Memorandum is the central reference point for any future discussion of security guarantees for Ukraine. This expert panel marks its thirtieth anniversary.
Summary: a formal panel of arms-control and regional experts revisits the 1994 agreement, what was promised, what was assured rather than guaranteed, and the lessons for nonproliferation policy.
Defense Economics & Industrial Base
Perun — Defence Economics and the Lessons of Ukraine
Why this matters: the most accessible long-form explainer of the economics behind modern war — drawing lessons from Ukraine to inform defense-industrial and investment decisions — the exact lens Helicon applies to capability. It teaches why wars are won as much in factories and budgets as on the front line, and why no single weapon is a wonder weapon in isolation from its context.
Helicon takeaway: this is Helicon’s thesis in plain terms — a $200,000 answer to a $2,000 threat is not a strategy. Reader’s note: independent analyst commentary, labeled as such, not an institutional source — which is why we link to the channel rather than embedding it as a verified institutional video.