Ground combat operations in Ukraine could come to an end within a year thanks to drones, according to an expert

The promises made by Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov to turn the tide on Ukraine’s long-range strikes by November are unrealistic, as it is impossible to fully cover the aggressor’s vast territory with air defense systems. 

This opinion was expressed by Pavlo Lakiychuk, head of security programs at the “Strategy XXI” Center for Global Studies, in a comment to the UNIAN news agency.

According to the expert, successful drone strikes on targets in Russia have finally shattered the myth of Russia’s invincible air defense. Currently, Ukraine is scaling up its own strike capabilities, and the prospects for air warfare lie in increasing the range and power of strikes on both sides, particularly due to Ukraine’s expected acquisition of its own ballistic missiles. Lakiychuk emphasized that Russia lacks a technological breakthrough (“wunderwaffe”) capable of shifting the balance of power in its favor, aside from the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons.

The continued destruction of Russian logistics, ammunition depots, and fuel and lubricant supplies on the front lines could lead to a natural winding down of ground combat. The expert predicts that, if the current pace continues, a 200-kilometer buffer zone could form along the line of contact within six months to a year, where the enemy’s logistics will completely collapse. This would make ground operations impossible and force the parties to cease fire on the ground.

Source: UNIAN.

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