Kathrine Frich
The head of Ukraine’s armed forces says Moscow is moving further away from negotiations, not closer.
Instead, he warns, Russia is accelerating weapons production and preparing for a prolonged fight.
His remarks come as the war grinds on into another year, with both sides seeking advantages on the battlefield rather than at the negotiating table.
No talks in sight
General Oleksandr Syrsky, commander of Ukraine’s army, said Russia is showing no interest in peace efforts and is intensifying military operations.
“On the contrary, we are observing an intensification of military actions, an increase in the number of offensive enemy groups, an increase in the production of attack weapons, missiles and drones,” he told the Ukrainian online outlet lb.ua, according to Reuters.
Syrsky said Russian plans include a sharp rise in drone manufacturing, highlighting what he described as an industrial-scale buildup.
Drone surge plans
According to the Ukrainian commander, Russia currently produces 404 Shahed drones of various types every day.
“The plans are to increase this number. The enemy intends to significantly increase production, up to 1,000 drones per day,” Syrsky said.
He added that Ukraine’s task is to disrupt those ambitions, inflict losses and force Moscow to reconsider its strategy.
“No one will make a deal with a weak party,” he said.
Strikes and damage
Syrsky praised Ukraine’s long-range strike capabilities, calling deep attacks a major strength of the armed forces.
He said Ukrainian strikes have hit 719 targets and caused an estimated $15 billion in damage, much of it to Russia’s oil sector.
Ukraine has rapidly expanded its own drone production since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, betting on technology to offset Russia’s larger manpower and resources.
Frontline pressures
Russian forces currently control about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory and have been making gradual advances in the east, regularly announcing the capture of villages.
Ukrainian military leaders have stressed the importance of developing interceptor drones, describing them as the most cost-effective way to counter Russian drone attacks rather than relying on expensive missiles.
Mobilization and losses
Syrsky acknowledged that Russia can mobilize far more troops than Ukraine, but said Kyiv has seen improvements in its own mobilization process.
“I can say the following: we have recorded a significant improvement in the figures in this regard compared to the situation seven months ago,” he said, citing better recruitment, training and treatment of conscripts.
He also claimed Ukrainian losses in 2025 fell by 13 percent compared with the previous year, while Russian losses rose sharply, estimating that Moscow lost more than 400,000 soldiers during the year.
Sources: Reuters, lb.ua, Digi24
