War crimes are part of Russia's strategy in Ukraine, retired U.S. Army colonel says

Key Points:

• Russian airstrikes across Ukraine killed at least 17 civilians and injured over 40, involving missiles and around 168 drones in a large-scale assault amid the ongoing war.
• Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is urging allies to replenish Ukraine’s dwindling Patriot missile interceptor stockpiles, emphasizing readiness to purchase rather than receive gifts.
• Despite frequent attacks, Ukrainians remain resilient and unwilling to cede territory, though fatigue from the prolonged conflict is evident, especially with limited air defense capabilities.
• U.S. military training and equipment cooperation with Ukraine is highly adaptive, with both sides learning and innovating rapidly in response to evolving battlefield conditions, particularly in drone warfare.
• The war has stabilized territorially with neither side gaining significant ground recently; however, strategic bombing campaigns targeting critical infrastructure and civilian areas continue, with evidence suggesting Russian strikes on civilians are deliberate and potentially constitute war crimes.