Moscow – Russia is asserting its military dominance in the Ukraine conflict, with President Vladimir Putin announcing the capture of nearly 5,000 square kilometers of territory in 2025 and declaring that Moscow now holds the “complete strategic initiative.”
This claim was made during a formal meeting with the heads of the Russian military, where Putin emphasized that this strategic upper hand is secure. He dismissed Ukrainian strikes inside Russia as incapable of altering the fundamental dynamics of the war.
While Russia focused on its conventional military campaign, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised alarms about unconventional tactics. He accused Russia of using its fleet of oil tankers for espionage and sabotage.
Zelenskyy stated that he is not taking this threat lightly and is working with allies to counter it. He expressed his firm belief that “it is entirely possible to stop” Russia’s alleged misuse of its commercial shipping for military ends.
The geopolitical tension was further heightened by Putin’s direct ultimatum to the U.S. over the potential supply of Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. He warned this would be a major escalation requiring American military involvement and would result in the destruction of their bilateral relationship.