Ukrainian military expert Viktor Kevlyuk said drone strikes alone cannot force Russia to make peace or liberate occupied territories without ground operations.
Speaking to news outlet LIGA.net, Centre for Defence Strategies expert Viktor Kevlyuk acknowledged that long-range attacks exhaust enemy logistics, economy, and morale. However, he emphasized that changing the territorial status quo requires ground forces or a combination of military, economic, and diplomatic pressure.
Kevlyuk noted that strikes on Crimea and other occupied areas weaken Russian forces and disrupt supplies, but they cannot substitute for physical de-occupation. He stated that full de-occupation without a ground component remains highly unlikely.
Lessons from previous ground campaigns
Ivan Kyrychevskyi, an armament expert at Defense Express and serviceman in the 413th Unmanned Systems Forces Battalion Raid, highlighted historical precedents. He pointed out that the United States relied on massive ground superiority during the 1991 war against Iraq.
Kyrychevskyi said American forces deployed thousands of Abrams tanks alongside Sheridan and M60 models to overpower Iraqi T-72 tanks through numerical strength. He added that the United States only defeated Japan in World War II with atomic bombs after its navy and army were completely destroyed, demonstrating that ground action was still unavoidable.
Resource limits and political impact
Former Ukrainian General Staff spokesperson Seleznov told LIGA.net that Ukraine currently lacks the resources required for an amphibious landing operation in Crimea.
Reserve Major General of the Security Service of Ukraine Yagun noted that deep strikes inside Russian territory have altered realities inside Russia. However, he cautioned against overestimating how quickly those strikes will produce a political effect in Moscow.
The expert assessments follow a 40-day Security Service of Ukraine operation that ended on August 4. Ukrainian forces struck more than 100 strategic targets deep inside Russia, yet Moscow has shown no readiness to end the war.
