In Reply to: Dems 50% chance of winning the senate posted by confused442 on March 13, 2026 at 22:24:22
We may have hit a tipping point in Ukraine.
February was the first month where Ukraine actually gained more ground than Russia.
One factor appears to be communications disruption. With systems like Starlink and Telegram degraded or blocked in some areas, Russia has had a harder time targeting moving supply convoys with long-range drones. Ukraine has been exploiting that gap by launching large drone swarms (300–400 drones) to create openings in Russian lines, then quickly inserting infantry with armored vehicles.
At the same time, Ukrainian forces have been prioritizing strikes on air defense systems, radar, and radio communications, which makes it harder for Russia to respond quickly to counterattacks.
Inside Russia, there are also signs of instability. Moscow reportedly shut down internet access for about a week, and there are rumors circulating about internal tensions and fears of a coup. Russia’s defense minister has reportedly been missing from public view again—a Putin loyalist widely criticized as ineffective, whose deputies have gradually been arrested by the Kremlin. This isn’t the first time he’s disappeared from public view.
There are also reports that during the “you have no cards” meeting at the White House, Ukraine offered the U.S. some of its anti-drone and drone warfare technology. The U.S. has now begun accepting some of that cooperation. Many of the most advanced Ukrainian drone companies, however, are already partnered with countries like the Czech Republic, the U.K., and the UAE.
On the battlefield, Russia has reportedly started deploying laser-equipped drones that fly along roads and burn the fiber-optic drone cables Ukrainian units sometimes use to control ground-based drones lying in wait for armored vehicles.
At sea, five additional ships from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet were recently hit.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has been carrying out nightly strikes on chemical plants and supply depots inside Russia. Before the recent Iran crisis, several countries had also begun cracking down on Russian oil tankers. The big question now is how higher global oil prices might affect Russia’s ability to stabilize its economy.
Ukraine shared anti-drone technology with the U.S., while the Trump administration responded by easing some oil sanctions on Russia. Oil futures markets, however, didn’t react much, suggesting traders weren’t convinced it would help with oil prices while giving Russia with a major economic lifeline.