Ukraine Builds New Forms of Offensive Manoeuvre

Key Points:

• Ukraine has conducted two successful counteroffensives in early 2026, liberating significant territory in eastern and southern regions, challenging the narrative of a stalemate and showcasing new offensive tactics leveraging drones, AI, and operational security.
• These operations demonstrate Ukraine's shift towards innovative combined arms tactics, integrating aerial and ground drones for reconnaissance and support functions, while maintaining strict operational secrecy to achieve strategic surprise.
• The Russian military strategy, marked by high casualties and widespread destruction, contrasts with Ukraine’s approach that seeks to maximize enemy losses while preserving its own forces, highlighting a fundamental divergence in war conduct.
• Ukraine’s recent gains have disrupted Russian plans for a double envelopment in the Donbas region, effectively ending Russia's narrative of inevitable victory and underscoring the failure of its 2026 ground offensive.
• The evolving Ukrainian methods represent a broader military transformation driven by new technologies and strategic thinking, suggesting that manoeuvre warfare remains viable in modern conflicts if adapted to current technological and operational realities.