(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Ukraine says it destroyed around 4 billion US dollars worth of Russian air defence assets during 2025, dealing a significant blow to Moscow’s ability to protect key military and industrial targets. Ukrainian officials say the losses include advanced radar systems and surface to air missile platforms, which have been targeted by a growing fleet of domestically produced long range drones.
Video footage published by Euromaidan Press and analysed by independent open source researchers shows multiple strikes on Russian air defence systems across occupied Ukrainian territory and inside Russia. The material includes previously unreleased images of Ukrainian special units destroying a rare Arctic variant of the Tor system, multiple Pantsir S2 launchers inside a hangar, and several S 400 radar installations. In each case, Ukrainian drones appear to have penetrated protective measures, including netting, before detonating.
According to Ukrainian military sources, these strikes have opened safer corridors for deep strike weapons and reduced Russia’s ability to intercept incoming drones and missiles. Officials say that in the final months of 2025 alone, Ukraine destroyed an additional 300 million US dollars worth of Russian air defence equipment, largely through intensified operations by unmanned systems units.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces say their drones now actively seek out radar emissions, making traditional Russian air defence tactics increasingly ineffective. Analysts note that the rapid expansion of Ukraine’s domestic drone production during 2025 marked a turning point, enabling sustained operations that were not possible earlier in the war.
Satellite imagery has also raised questions about Russian claims following a Ukrainian drone strike on a submarine at the naval port of Novorossiysk. While Russian authorities said the vessel was undamaged, tracking images show that the submarine has not moved for more than a month, even as other vessels in the harbour have changed position. Defence analysts suggest the submarine may have suffered damage that makes repairs impractical.
Ukraine has continued to target ammunition depots and logistics hubs, including a recent strike on a facility in Donetsk region, where secondary explosions were reported. At the same time, Russian installed authorities in occupied southern Ukraine have accused Kyiv of causing widespread power cuts by striking power plants and substations.
Ukrainian officials have acknowledged that energy infrastructure in occupied areas has been targeted, arguing that the region hosts an estimated 700,000 Russian troops who rely on electricity, heating and water supplies. They say the focus is on degrading Russia’s military presence rather than harming civilians, though humanitarian groups warn that residents face severe hardship during winter.
One widely shared image shows an elderly Ukrainian woman in a frontline area who wrote a plea for bread in the snow after refusing evacuation. Ukrainian drone operators later delivered food supplies, after which she wrote a message of thanks. Aid workers say such incidents highlight both the suffering of civilians and the absence of assistance from Russian forces in occupied territories.
Power disruptions have also been reported inside Russia, including in parts of the Moscow region, though it remains unclear whether these were caused by Ukrainian strikes or infrastructure failures. An open source intelligence group has documented 371 Ukrainian long range strikes inside Russia during 2025, most of them aimed at military industry, refineries and chemical plants linked to explosives production.
Ukrainian officials say these operations are designed to weaken Russia’s capacity to manufacture missiles and drones. They have indicated that similar strikes will continue throughout 2026 unless Moscow enters negotiations in good faith.
Ukraine’s military leadership claims that Russian offensive operations have been largely blunted by dense drone coverage along the front line. Commander in Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has said Ukraine now produces more fibre optic guided drones each day than Russia can recruit new soldiers, while Russian losses are estimated by Kyiv at around 1,000 casualties daily. Independent verification of casualty figures remains difficult.
Russian troops have been filmed experimenting with improvised concealment methods to evade drones, though analysts say such measures do little to reduce heat signatures visible to thermal cameras. Ukrainian officials argue that the battlefield environment has fundamentally changed, making movement near the front line increasingly dangerous for Russian forces.
Despite these pressures, Ukraine’s leadership says victory cannot be achieved through defence alone. Syrskyi has stated that Ukraine plans offensive operations in 2026 to force Russia into a weaker negotiating position, as Moscow shows no sign of reducing hostilities and continues to expand missile and drone production.
Economic data suggest growing strain on Russia. According to Reuters, Russian oil and gas revenue in January fell by 46 percent compared with the same month a year earlier. For 2025 as a whole, revenue declined by about 24 percent year on year. The International Monetary Fund forecasts Ukraine’s economy to grow by around 2 percent in 2026, while Russia’s growth is expected to slow sharply and could turn negative if deep strikes continue.
Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid during winter, launching ballistic and cruise missiles at power and heating infrastructure. Ukrainian energy officials say some areas now face more than 16 hours a day without electricity. Repair work is complicated by freezing temperatures, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has ordered additional pay for energy workers operating in extreme conditions.
Beyond the battlefield, the war is intersecting with rising geopolitical tensions involving the United States and Europe. US president Donald Trump has revived rhetoric about taking control of Greenland, prompting concern among European leaders and renewed debate about transatlantic relations. Opinion polls in the United States show strong public opposition to any military action over Greenland, including among Republican voters.
European governments have begun to discuss possible responses, including trade measures, while reaffirming support for Ukraine. Denmark has increased its military presence in Greenland, and Sweden has announced plans to deploy fighter aircraft to Iceland amid heightened regional tensions.
Ukraine has largely avoided public comment on the Greenland dispute, wary of jeopardising continued access to US supplied weapons systems, including Patriot air defence missiles. Ukrainian officials privately acknowledge the difficulty of navigating between European partners and a sceptical US political environment.
Despite the hardships, international support continues. In Poland, individual donors have raised more than 650,000 euros, about 710,000 US dollars at current exchange rates, to purchase generators for Kyiv. Aid groups say such contributions are critical as winter conditions persist.
The human cost of the war remains visible in cities under attack. In Kyiv, residents shelter indoors during blackouts, sometimes sleeping in tents inside their homes to conserve warmth. An 89 year old physicist living alone in the capital has drawn attention for playing the piano in her unheated apartment, saying she survived the Second World War and Stalin and believes she will also survive the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and the current conflict.
