Since spring, Ukraine has increasingly shaped the war through a tech-driven defensive approach. Using domestically produced long-range weapons, Ukraine is now able to strike targets deep inside Russian territory with greater autonomy.
In response, Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukraine, causing widespread damage and civilian casualties. Analysts interpret the less-discriminate strikes as an attempt to regain the initiative and signal resolve.
But can this apparent shift influence the overall trajectory of the war, rather than just its short-term dynamics? And does Ukraine realistically have a chance of regaining occupied territories?
Former diplomat Tim Willasey-Wilsey discusses “a critical moment” in Russia’s war on Ukraine, which launched a second large-scale drone attack on St. Petersburg on Saturday.