'Escalatory spiral of attrition: Drone technology allowing Ukraine to resist Russia asymmetrically'

AI Summary

Eurasia Democracy Initiative director Peter Zalmayev discusses how Ukrainian drone innovation enables asymmetric resistance against Russian military superiority, although overall capability disparities persist. He argues that the conflict is undergoing an escalating cycle of attrition fueled by tactical adaptation.

Sharon Gaffney is pleased to welcome Peter Zalmayev, director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative. He rejects narratives that portray Moscow as only now "taking the gloves off," against Ukraine, arguing instead that Russia has consistently pursued maximalist objectives while adapting its tactics to battlefield realities. Although Ukrainian innovation, particularly in drone warfare, has complicated Russia's military superiority, Zalmayev contends that technological ingenuity cannot permanently compensate for disparities in manpower, industrial capacity, and external military support. He argues that the conflict has entered an "escalatory spiral of attrition."