Ukraine updates: Russia kills 24 in attack on pension queue DW 09/09/2025

"Ukraine's use of drones is creating a "drone wall" that has prevented Russia from consolidating gains, said Dickinson. While Russian units have tried ad hoc tactics using motorbikes or buggies to slip through Dickinson said it has been "very difficult for the Russians to bring together large amounts of armor, tanks, armored vehicles and so forth, and push through and hold territory.""

""They're suffering very, very heavy casualties," he said, adding that many newer recruits are older and poorly trained. The gains Russia has made in recent months have been "minimal," while the costs have been "catastrophic." Dickinson described the conflict as a war of attrition: "They're really fighting over scraps, and the movement on the front is minimal in either direction.""

"Ukraine, he noted, faces manpower shortages of its own but has made limited advances, including around the city of Pokrovsk. He said Ukraine has also succeeded in striking Russia directly. "Now we're also seeing Ukraine strike very effectively inside Russia especially oil refineries. It's having a big impact on Russia's war economy." Dickinson argued that the idea of an inevitable Russian victory is misplaced. "Ukraine is a far stronger force with much greater capabilities in the field. Russia is not nearly as powerful as people seem to think.""

Russia's summer offensive has largely failed. Ukraine's use of drones has created a 'drone wall' that prevented Russia from consolidating gains. Russian units tried ad hoc tactics using motorbikes or buggies, but Russian forces could not bring together large amounts of armor, tanks and armored vehicles to push through and hold territory. Moscow's forces face very heavy casualties and recruitment problems, with many newer recruits older and poorly trained. Recent Russian gains have been minimal while the costs have been catastrophic. The conflict is a war of attrition with minimal movement on the front. Ukraine faces manpower shortages but has made limited advances around Pokrovsk and has struck targets inside Russia, including oil refineries, impacting the war economy. Ukraine is a stronger field force; Russia is not as powerful as assumed.

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