Ukraine's newly appointed acting defense minister stated that the country must employ asymmetric tactics and careful resource management rather than direct confrontation when fighting Russia militarily.
Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that escalating Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries, fuel depots, and infrastructure are impacting Russia's economy and society, while new polling shows Russian citizens increasingly critical of his economic policies amid ongoing sanctions and military pressures.
Ukraine and its allies express growing confidence that Russia's invasion is losing steam, with Kyiv claiming 83,000 Russian deaths in 2026 alone and implementing a strategy to inflict at least 200 casualties per square kilometer of territory lost. Russia is reportedly seeking new soldiers as its ground war falters.
