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May 11, 2026
Europe | Turning the tide of war
Russia is stumbling on the battlefield
As casualties soar in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin looks ever more beleaguered at home
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Rubbing in the insult Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, issued a decree to “permit” the parade to proceed, saying that Red Square would not be attacked. This came shortly after Ukraine and Russia agreed to a three-day ceasefire brokered by America, though by May 10th both sides were accusing the other of having violated it. Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, speaking after the parade, said he thought the war was “coming to an end”.
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As of May 2026, Ukrainian forces are conducting regular, high-volume drone strikes deep into Russian territory, frequently utilizing long-range, domestically produced drones, with reports suggesting some production or assembly of components occurs in European nations. These stealthy, often AI-enabled, strikes target oil depots, airfields, and logistics hubs thousands of kilometers from the front lines. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key Aspects of the 2026 Drone Campaign:
- Manufacturing & Supply: Reports indicate that a significant portion of Ukrainian drone production and component sourcing has moved to countries like Germany, Great Britain, Czechia, and the Baltic states to avoid Russian strikes.
- Tactics & Scope: Ukraine has escalated to using thousands of long-range drones, sometimes over 7,000 in a month, targeting sites from Moscow to the Urals. Recent operations, such as “Operation Spiderweb,” involved coordinated, deep-penetration strikes.
- Targeting & Impact: Attacks have targeted major infrastructure, including oil refineries in the Leningrad Oblast, hundreds of kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
- NATO Airspace Incidents: There have been incidents of drone activity near NATO borders (Latvia, Lithuania), with some reports of Ukrainian drones, possibly misdirected by electronic warfare, crashing on NATO territory.
- Russia’s Response: Russia has experienced difficulties in defending against these widespread attacks, which are impacting military capabilities and causing severe damage to infrastructure. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
Note: The situation is highly dynamic, and claims about the origin of launches, particularly from foreign territory, are part of intense information warfare and military intelligence operations. [1, 2[
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