Is Ukraine Gaining an Upper Hand Against Russia?

Amid reporting in recent months that Ukraine is having increased success with drone warfare and that the Kremlin is feeling the squeeze economically, media perspectives have emerged on whether Ukraine can "win."

Too Early To Tell: Aaron MacLean of The Free Press (Lean Right bias) noted a "spectacularly successful" campaign against Russian sites in occupied territories and on the mainland from Kyiv but said it's "still far too early to predict how the war will end." MacLean mentioned an energy crisis in Crimea and said one also looms in Russia, noting that in addition to rising gas prices and energy shortages, Kyiv's long-range strikes have shown more Russians that they are at risk.

Russia's Worst Position Yet: Simon Shuster of The Atlantic (Left) said Russian President Vladimir Putin has avoided discussing Ukraine's drone operations and energy shortages in Russia, and instead has shown continued patience with the military operation in Ukraine. Shuster said during a "carefully scripted" 19-minute TV interview that Putin "dissect[ed] the minutiae of the fighting," suggesting that "away from the cameras, the Russian leader spends his time hunched over maps of the battlefield." Shuster painted the appetite of the Russian people differently, however, citing a recent poll from the EU-based Russian opposition outlet Meduza that said 81% of Russians want the conflict to end "as early as tomorrow." Shuster called out what he believed were inconsistencies in Putin's speech and suggested his "obsession with the details of the fighting appears to have crossed the line into delusion." He added that recent patterns show "Russia could still face defeat" and that now the outcome looks "more likely than ever."

Western Propaganda: Thomas Fazi (Center) of UnHerd (Center) described the idea that Ukraine is gaining an upper hand as a yearly "coordinated narrative push" in which the European Union "launches a fresh propaganda offensive on Ukraine." Fazi pointed to the recent NATO summit in Turkey as a driver behind the narrative, adding that "the pro-war lobby – both in Europe and in Washington – is desperate to make the case that Ukraine is winning." He added that Ukraine's drone campaign is "certainly having an impact," especially on Russian energy, but that there is "no evidence" it will "turn the war around." Fazi added that the only "poll" that matters is Russia's upcoming parliamentary election on September 20, where Putin's United Russia party will face rivals to its right and left that "have taken an even more hardline stance on the conflict."

Written by the AllSides staff (of humans). Learn more. Support our mission. Suggest an improvement to this summary.