Peter Zalmayev, director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative, has rejected narratives suggesting that Moscow is only now intensifying its military efforts against Ukraine. Instead, he argues that Russia has consistently pursued maximalist objectives while adapting its tactics to battlefield realities.

Zalmayev emphasized that Ukrainian innovation, particularly in drone warfare, has complicated Russia's military superiority. However, he cautioned that technological ingenuity alone cannot permanently offset the significant disparities in manpower, industrial capacity, and external military support between the two countries.

He further described the ongoing conflict as having entered an "escalatory spiral of attrition," underscoring the protracted and intensifying nature of the war.

Sources