Putin’s growing anxiety mirrors Russia’s failures on the battlefield

David Kirichenko

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A common talking point from President Trump is that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “has no cards.” This is not only untrue, but there are clear signs that Ukraine is growing stronger technologically.

This is also why, since the start of negotiations, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been fixated on the demilitarization of the Ukrainian army. As the war shifts into a high-intensity, technology-driven phase, the cost of Russian offensives will only grow.

In over three years of war, Russia has lost nearly 1 million men who have been killed or injured in its attempts to conquer Ukraine. With time running out for Putin, now in his 70s, he is likely to grow even more desperate in his attempts to revive the dying Russian empire.

Even when Congress blocked aid and Trump shut off the flow of weapons, Ukraine adapted, relying on drones to hold the line. It was costly for Ukraine at times in places like Avidivka. But Ukraine is now building a drone wall — creating a deadly no-man’s land that dramatically raises the cost of every Russian assault.

Meanwhile, Putin is also losing control over the war narrative. This became particularly clear in August 2024, when he was forced to explain a Ukrainian offensive inside Russia itself, after Ukrainian forces seized nearly 1,200 square kilometers of Kursk Oblast. Ukrainian forces continue to fight in both the Belgorod and Kursk Oblasts within Russia.

Despite U.S. weapons restrictions that have been forcing Ukraine to fight with one hand tied behind its back throughout the war, Ukraine has built a formidable arsenal of long-range drones and missiles. In recent months, Ukrainian drones have struck deeper into Russia, targeting the oil refineries, airfields and infrastructure sustaining Russia’s war effort.

Ukraine demonstrated its growing strike capabilities in March by launching hundreds of drones at Moscow, in what the city’s mayor called the “largest drone attack” of the war. Russia’s air defenses are struggling to adapt to this new threat.