Ukraine has turned the tide of the war, but this momentum won't last long — The Hill
Ukraine is rapidly gaining momentum on the battlefield against Russia, recapturing its own territory for the first time in many years and successfully outmaneuvering Moscow’s forces thanks to its dominance in the use of drones.
Military analysts note that the protracted war of attrition has entered a fundamentally new phase, allowing Kyiv to fully break the long-standing stalemate on the front lines.
According to the authoritative publication The Hill, the situation has begun to shift dramatically in favor of the Ukrainian Defense Forces after a prolonged period of stagnation that had persisted since late 2023.
For many months, neither side was able to achieve significant success, but the optimization of Ukrainian military capabilities has shifted the balance of power.
“For the first time since 2023, the Ukrainians have managed to recapture more territory than the Russians,” said George Barros, an analyst at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
It was various unmanned systems that proved to be the most effective tool for Ukrainian soldiers, who used them to significantly expand the so-called strike zone.
This refers to the area around the front line where enemy troops are most vulnerable to precision and massive attacks.
Quincy Anatol Lieven, a senior fellow at the Institute for Responsible Statecraft, emphasized the occupiers’ helplessness in the face of the new Ukrainian tactics.
“The Russians simply cannot amass the necessary forces and armored vehicles for a breakthrough,” Liven said.
As a result, this technological breakthrough has allowed Ukraine to decisively shift from an exhausting war of attrition to actively capturing more territory than the Russians have managed to do since April.
According to experts, this shift had been in the works for months, starting in late 2025.
At that time, the Ukrainians began systematically striking Russian ground-based radars, electronic warfare stations, anti-aircraft missiles, and drones, effectively blinding Moscow’s forces.
“This is because the Ukrainians have become more effective at holding back the Russians’ advance,” Barros told The Hill.
Ukrainian defenders are making the most of modern drones, completely reshaping conventional methods of warfare.
Peter Rauf, director of the Center for European and Eurasian Affairs at the Hudson Institute, said that a military medic shared a striking detail with him.
The doctor had not treated any gunshot wounds in six months due to the active use of drones.
According to Raff, a large-scale modernization is underway in the units: “There are snipers who have been retrained, sometimes reluctantly, to operate unmanned systems.”
This progress has allowed Kyiv to launch significantly more long-range strikes against strategic oil and military targets deep inside Russia, inflicting damage on the country’s economy and the Kremlin’s military efforts.
At the same time, this has allowed Ukraine to launch new successful mechanized attacks. Allies must now seize the moment immediately and help Ukraine capitalize on this advantage, as this window of opportunity will not last forever.
Defense forces have refuted Russia’s accusations regarding strikes on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
As a reminder, the IAEAwarns of an increased risk of a nuclear disaster.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has recordedits 15th blackout since the start of the occupation.
Earlier, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant resumed operations on Ukraine’s power grid after a one-and-a-half-hour interruption in external power supply.
