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dont be misled by the title. This is a well balanced very good look at the battlefield and resources both sides have.. worth reading the entire article
Commanders are now hoping for breakthrough, particularly in the Donbas – the historically Russian-speaking region central to the Kremlin’s territorial claims. Most of the provinces that make up the region are already under Russian military occupation, with Putin’s forces controlling 99 percent of Luhansk and approximately 77 percent of Donetsk. The capture of Donetsk’s remaining unoccupied cities and industrial heartlands is likely to be the offensive’s main objective
Russia has spent the winter bolstering manpower, addressing technical weaknesses, refining tactics, improving battlefield communications and enhancing the lethality and manoeuvrability of its attack drones.
After being largely pushed out of Russia’s Kursk region in March, Ukrainian forces now face pressure in neighbouring Sumy, where Putin aims to establish a buffer zone to prevent future incursions into Russian territory.
With the help of predominantly female factory workers lured from Africa, Russia has increased production from 300 per month last year to 100 per day this year, a figure Mr Zelensky says that Moscow aims to treble.
Russia has also improved short-range drone capabilities, deploying fibre-optic first-person view (FPV) drones that are immune to jamming.
Russia’s other significant advantage is its ability to enlist new soldiers at a much higher rate than Ukraine. This success largely boils down to financial incentives,
Having resisted Western pressure to conscript men under 25 – a move that would be deeply unpopular – Mr Zelensky’s government has instead launched an “18-24 campaign”, offering financial incentives and zero-interest mortgages to attract young volunteers.
Growing European investment in Ukraine’s defence sector may prove even more important. The country now produces up to 40 percent of its strike capability requirements domestically — a figure that could rise significantly with additional support.
The drones have disrupted Russian logistics, blunted its artillery advantage and slowed forward troop movements, creating defensive corridors along much of the front line.
Though Moscow is innovating rapidly in response, Ukraine plans to more than double domestic production this year to five million drones, helping preserve its edge.
Even with its drone wall, Ukraine remains largely on the defensive. A counteroffensive is unlikely, leaving Kyiv to wage a campaign of attrition to bleed Russia’s forces and slow their advance.
How Putin plans to deliver killer blow to Ukraine
Under smokescreen of ‘peace talks’ Russian conscripts deploy to the border and Moscow war machine ramps up
Commanders are now hoping for breakthrough, particularly in the Donbas – the historically Russian-speaking region central to the Kremlin’s territorial claims. Most of the provinces that make up the region are already under Russian military occupation, with Putin’s forces controlling 99 percent of Luhansk and approximately 77 percent of Donetsk. The capture of Donetsk’s remaining unoccupied cities and industrial heartlands is likely to be the offensive’s main objective
Russia has spent the winter bolstering manpower, addressing technical weaknesses, refining tactics, improving battlefield communications and enhancing the lethality and manoeuvrability of its attack drones.
After being largely pushed out of Russia’s Kursk region in March, Ukrainian forces now face pressure in neighbouring Sumy, where Putin aims to establish a buffer zone to prevent future incursions into Russian territory.
With the help of predominantly female factory workers lured from Africa, Russia has increased production from 300 per month last year to 100 per day this year, a figure Mr Zelensky says that Moscow aims to treble.
Russia has also improved short-range drone capabilities, deploying fibre-optic first-person view (FPV) drones that are immune to jamming.
Russia’s other significant advantage is its ability to enlist new soldiers at a much higher rate than Ukraine. This success largely boils down to financial incentives,
Having resisted Western pressure to conscript men under 25 – a move that would be deeply unpopular – Mr Zelensky’s government has instead launched an “18-24 campaign”, offering financial incentives and zero-interest mortgages to attract young volunteers.
Growing European investment in Ukraine’s defence sector may prove even more important. The country now produces up to 40 percent of its strike capability requirements domestically — a figure that could rise significantly with additional support.
Ukraine’s drone wall
Ukraine’s biggest home-grown asset, however, is its so-called “drone wall” – a vast fleet of FPV drones that has allowed units to strike Russian forces more than ten miles behind the front.The drones have disrupted Russian logistics, blunted its artillery advantage and slowed forward troop movements, creating defensive corridors along much of the front line.
Though Moscow is innovating rapidly in response, Ukraine plans to more than double domestic production this year to five million drones, helping preserve its edge.
Even with its drone wall, Ukraine remains largely on the defensive. A counteroffensive is unlikely, leaving Kyiv to wage a campaign of attrition to bleed Russia’s forces and slow their advance.