Ukraine's 40-day drone blitz pushes war onto Russian territory as Zelenskyy declares 'first chance to win'
Primary region Europe
Tags Security · Diplomacy
Regions Europe
President Zelenskyy announced a sustained 40-day drone campaign targeting Russian military and infrastructure sites, describing it as Ukraine's 'first chance to win' the war. Russia began redeploying air defense systems to Moscow and other key interior cities following successful Ukrainian drone strikes, including an attack on Crimea that killed five people. French naval forces seized a fifth Russian shadow fleet tanker linked to sanctions evasion. President Putin hinted at possible peace talks amid mounting economic strain, population displacement, and environmental damage from fires at Russian oil facilities.
Strategic interpretation
Ukraine's escalation to strikes inside Russia represents a strategic shift aimed at raising the domestic cost of war for Moscow and testing Putin's air defense vulnerabilities. Putin's peace talk hints, combined with economic strain, suggest the campaign may be achieving some coercive effect, though Russia continues to absorb significant punishment without altering core war aims.