Zelenskyy states Russia lost battlefield initiative in Dec 2025, arguing Ukraine has a diplomacy window before winter if sanctions pressure on Russia continues.
Why would that be, that drone warfare advantages defense?
For an offensive action you need to concentrate enough forces and material in one area to achieve a breakthrough.
In Ukraine, there is now a “grey area” between the fronts which neither side controls but is permanently patrolled by drones, similar to WW1’s “no-mans-land”.
It’s up to 20-30km wide, and any vehicle entering it is destroyed by drone swarms.
Crossing it on foot takes up to a week, and less than 10% make it through alive.
This makes it impossible to bring heavy equipment to the actual front line for an assault, or even re-supply your soldiers hiding in trenches there.
For an offensive action you need to concentrate enough forces and material in one area to achieve a breakthrough.
In Ukraine, there is now a “grey area” between the fronts which neither side controls but is permanently patrolled by drones, similar to WW1’s “no-mans-land”.
It’s up to 20-30km wide, and any vehicle entering it is destroyed by drone swarms.
Crossing it on foot takes up to a week, and less than 10% make it through alive.
This makes it impossible to bring heavy equipment to the actual front line for an assault, or even re-supply your soldiers hiding in trenches there.