Ukraine is not losing – Russia is not winning

2026-06-08 21:46:39Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

In a field outside Kiev last weekend, a van was hidden behind some trees. Inside, there were no passenger seats, but a work desk, two office chairs, laptops and additional screens.

At first glance it looked ordinary, but in reality it was a mobile base for intercepting drones – one of hundreds of such vehicles deployed in Ukraine today. This is just one element of a larger transformation: a new technological system that has changed the way the war with Russia is waged.

On one screen, a Ukrainian soldier showed an aerial view of a rural area more than 100 miles away. His task is to identify objects flying over the area, distinguishing birds from deadly Russian drones.

When an enemy drone is identified, another operator can direct an interceptor – a small drone similar to a miniature missile – to track and destroy it before it hits the target.

At first glance, it all looks like a computer game. But in reality, it's a complex military system supported by artificial intelligence, radars, acoustic sensors, and a network of Ukrainian technology companies that are being created and improved every day.

Many of them didn't exist four years ago. They were created by engineers, financiers, architects, and other professionals who have returned to the defense industry.

This system, which some Ukrainian analysts call “networked operational awareness,” has changed the way war is understood. The front is no longer a clear line, but a wide area about 20 miles wide where every movement is instantly detected by drones and sensors.

This has meant that any Russian vehicle, tank or soldier trying to advance is quickly identified and often hit immediately. According to the author, this has led to heavy losses for Russia and blocked its territorial advance, despite continuous offensives.

Meanwhile, the long-range war continues on both sides. Russia continues to strike Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure with missiles and drones, while Ukraine is intensifying attacks on military and energy targets inside Russian territory, including refineries and logistics centers. These attacks have significantly reduced Russia's energy capacity and caused supply shortages in some areas.

Psychologically, the Kremlin's official narrative of a sure victory is clashing with the reality on the battlefield. Continued attacks on Russian infrastructure and difficulties on the ground are putting pressure on Russian public opinion and state structures, while war propaganda is faced with increasingly contradictory images.

The author argues that Ukraine is not losing and Russia is not winning, but the war is entering a new phase where drone technology is increasingly determining the outcome. The front has become a zone of constant surveillance, where every movement is detected and swiftly struck.

In this context, some analysts believe that the conflict could head towards a long freeze along the current front line, creating a de facto demilitarized zone, similar to that of Korea. In such a scenario, the border between Ukraine and the occupied territories would remain unclear, patrolled and difficult to change.

In conclusion, according to the analysis, Russia’s strategic objective of eliminating Ukraine as a state has not been achieved, while Ukraine continues to survive and adapt in a war that is transforming the very nature of modern conflict. ( The Atlantic )


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