Mason Clark is the Director of the Defense of Europe Project at the Institute for the Study of War. Mason’s current research and long-form writing efforts focus on current Russian conventional military capabilities; NATO’s force requirements to deter or defeat future Russian aggression; and the operational-level history of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Mason joined ISW in 2018 and led ISW’s Russia Team from July 2020 to December 2023. In this role, Mason designed and led ISW’s standard-setting coverage of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. In addition to writing and managing the production of hundreds of ISW’s daily updates, Mason has published multiple ISW reports on Russian military learning and thinking. He has published externally with Foreign Affairs, Chatham House, and others, and has been extensively quoted in leading international media coverage of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Mason regularly briefs senior military and civilian decision makers in the United States, NATO allies, Ukraine, and other partner states.
Areas of Expertise
Russia & Ukraine
Focus Areas
Product Line
Map Series
Selected Analysis By
Mason Clark
Long Form Report
Contemporary & Future War
Defense of Europe
Russia & Ukraine
The Russian Military: Forecasting The Threat
Long Form Report
Ukraine
Contemporary & Future War
Russia & Ukraine
Ukraine and the Problem of Restoring Maneuver in Contemporary War
Long Form Report
ORBATS and Exercises
Ukraine
Russia & Ukraine
Russian Regular Ground Forces Order of Battle: Russian Military 101
Long Form Report
Kremlin
Russia in the Middle East
Syria
Contemporary & Future War
Russia & Ukraine
The Russian Military’s Lessons Learned in Syria
Related media
Quote
Ukraine
Russia & Ukraine
CNN: From meat grinder to mopeds: How Russia rethought its war-fighting in Ukraine
Quote
Geospatial Intelligence
Foreign Policy: The Washington Whiz Kids Mapping the War in Ukraine
Op Ed
Ukraine
Russia & Ukraine
TIME: What the West Must Do Now to Help Ukraine Win the War
Quote
Kremlin
Ukraine
Russia & Ukraine
New York Times: Tracking the War in Real Time
Latest Research by
Mason Clark
Special Report
Contemporary & Future WarDefense of EuropeRussia & Ukraine
The Russian Military Campaign Against Europe: Defining the Threat
Update
Russia & Ukraine
Ukraine
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 15, 2026
Update
Middle East
Iran & Proxies
Iran Update, September 15, 2026
Update
China & Taiwan
Taiwan
China & Taiwan Update, September 15, 2026
Latest Research by
Mason Clark
Update
China & Taiwan
Korea
Korean Peninsula Update, September 16, 2026
Special Report
Contemporary & Future WarDefense of EuropeRussia & Ukraine
The Russian Military Campaign Against Europe: Defining the Threat
Update
Russia & Ukraine
Ukraine
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 15, 2026
Update
Middle East
Iran & Proxies
Iran Update, September 15, 2026
Related media
Quote
Russia & Ukraine
Kremlin
Newsweek: Putin’s Ally Modi Tells Him To Halt ‘Endless War’ for Humanity’s Sake
Quote
Quote
China & Taiwan
PRCTaiwan
CNN: Chinese government ships spotted in record numbers off Taiwan in July
Cited Map
Russia & Ukraine
Ukraine
