A war turned into a costly test of stamina
Three years since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, the battlefield remains frozen in more ways than one. Despite billions of dollars in Western aid, thousands of lives lost, and relentless offensives, the war shows few signs of a decisive conclusion. Instead, it has evolved into a grinding war of attrition—with military breakthroughs elusive and the political will for total victory giving way to discussions on containment, ceasefire and face-saving 'off ramps'—in effect, the Americanisation of the war.
Ukraine failed to make major territorial gains through its much-anticipated counteroffensive in 2023, highlighting not just how well-entrenched the Russian forces are, but also the limits of modern Western weaponry. For Russia, despite its superior numbers and recent gains in places like Avdiivka, the advance has been incremental and costly.
Neither side currently possesses the capability to inflict a decisive blow. Ukraine lacks the strategic depth and offensive firepower to roll back Russian positions across the entire front. Meanwhile, Russia has neither the political cover nor the operational capacity to overwhelm Ukraine without incurring massive costs—both militarily and diplomatically. In short, even if militarily possible, Russia cannot justify a total war or occupation of Ukraine in a politically sustainable way.
The war has thus settled into a brutal equilibrium. Localised gains are made, but strategic momentum is absent. This military deadlock mirrors the diplomatic one. A key variable in prolonging this balance has been the sustained Western military aid to Ukraine—particularly from the US. The recent U-turn by Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled House by agreeing to support fresh aid to Ukraine marked a significant shift. For months, they had stalled arms packages and questioned the logic of endless support for Kyiv. Yet, facing mounting pressure from both Nato allies and the US defence industry, aid has been given the green light—albeit with strings attached.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
15 minutes ago
- India.com
Bad news for NASA employees as Trump administration forced 3870 workers to...
New Delhi: Washington: 3,870 employees will lose their jobs from the US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). These employees are going to resign under the Voluntary Resignation Program. Why did these employees resign? US President Donald Trump's administration has launched a programme to reduce the number of employees to cut the budget. Under this, employees have been asked to resign on their own instead of being fired from NASA. To comply with the Trump administration's goal of reducing the federal workforce, space agency NASA officials are taking the path of resignation to avoid layoffs. NASA is world's most prominent space agency. What did NASA say about resignations? At present, 3,870 employees have resigned from NASA. However, NASA has said in its statement on Friday, July 25, that this number may change after reviewing the applications. NASA has given employees two separate opportunities to leave the job in 2025. After both resignation programmes and about 500 people leaving their jobs in general, NASA will be left with about 14,000 employees. This is the second round of resignations The first round of resignations at NASA came in the early part of the Trump administration. This effort was driven by the government efficiency department DOGE led by Elon Musk. NASA launched its second round of deferred resignations in early June, giving a chance to join it till July 25. The agency said that 3,000 employees accepted it, which is 16.4 percent of the total workforce. NASA issues statement NASA has said in its statement that safety is our top priority. Along with becoming a more efficient organization, we are also ensuring that our capabilities for missions like Moon and Mars remain fully intact. However, experts believe that such a huge reduction in the number of employees may harm NASA's future missions and technical expertise.
NDTV
15 minutes ago
- NDTV
Focus On Drugs-Free India, Ensure Better Coordination: Amit Shah To Agencies
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Eighth National Security Strategies Conference (NSSC) in New Delhi, marking the conclusion of the two-day meet on Kargil Vijay Diwas. Paying tribute to those who were killed in action in that conflict, the home minister also saluted the efforts of the armed forces and the Border Security Force during Operation Sindoor, calling it a reflection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's zero-tolerance approach to terrorism. The home minister said Operation Sindoor had sent a strong and clear message to the world about India's uncompromising stand against terror. "PM Modi, with his strong political will, once again demonstrated India's firm stance and resolve on the issue of national security," he said. He pointed out that India's economy is in the fourth position globally and, with its emergence as a key player in new and emerging technologies, green energy, and innovation, the security challenges before the nation would also multiply in the years to come. 'Security, Alertness, Coordination' In view of the evolving threats, the home minister called for better coordination among central and state agencies. He directed the formation of homogenous teams to develop, implement, and monitor security strategies effectively. He also stressed the importance of involving young police officers in each state to brainstorm and offer innovative solutions to national challenges. Referring to the three new criminal laws that recently came into force, the minister said the same seriousness with which Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) and situations in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir were tackled must be shown in ensuring the effective implementation of these laws and in the fight against narcotics. He asked Directors General of Police across states to focus on the next three years as a mission period for a 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' (Drugs-Free India) and emphasised the need for going after drug cartels, securing the extradition of narco-offenders, and adopt a top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top approach in anti-narcotics efforts. Push For Real-Time Data Sharing Mr Shah called for establishing a reliable ecosystem for real-time data sharing and directed all agencies to integrate databases like NATGRID (National Intelligence Grid), NIDAAN (National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco Offenders), iMoT (Integrated Monitoring of Terrorism) and CBI's fugitive database into their day-to-day operations. He instructed that these tools be made a core part of all police training programmes to ensure better tech-driven enforcement on the ground. Highlighting the role of police stations as the first point of intelligence gathering, he called for a platform to enable real-time information sharing up to the station level. Maritime Security Mr Shah also stressed the need for all-round development in LWE-affected areas and urged police forces to coordinate with state administrations to ensure the timely implementation of over 300 central and state schemes at the grassroots level. On maritime security, the home minister flagged concerns over infiltration and smuggling along India's long coastal borders and emphasised the capacity building of state police forces to secure smaller seaports and prevent illegal activity. 'Excellence And Competition' Calling the internal security situation dynamic due to India's complex geopolitical neighbourhood, the home minister said the motto of " Suraksha, Sajagta, Samanvay" (Security, Alertness, Coordination) must become the guiding principle of all agencies. He urged the police leadership to strive for excellence, protect the life, property and dignity of every citizen, and nurture healthy competition in addressing internal security challenges. Mr Shah said the next five to ten years would be critical for India's security and development, and underlined that the Modi government has already resolved numerous issues scattered across states. He ended his address with a call for habitual alertness and a security-first mindset, saying these must now become an integral part of India's policing framework.
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Russia seizes two villages in central Ukraine; raids kill 6
Russia on Saturday said it had wrested two villages in Ukraine, including one in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, marking a fresh advance into an area largely spared seizures of land since Moscow launched its offensive in 2022. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Overnight strikes by both sides meanwhile claimed six lives -- four in central Ukraine and two in western Russia, according to officials in both countries. The Russian army said its forces had "liberated the settlement of Maliyevka" in Dnipropetrovsk weeks after it seized the first village in the region -- not one of the Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia. In a separate message on Saturday, Moscow said it had "liberated the settlement of Zeleny Gai" in Donetsk region on the border with Dnipropetrovsk, adding that it was an important stronghold used by Ukraine to protect the area. Further north in Kharkiv, a Russian strike destroyed a large boiler room that will be impossible to repair before winter, while in Sumy, another strike hit a regional administration building, local authorities said. Supported by swarms of drones, Russia gains new settlements almost daily, but they are normally reduced to rubble and emptied of inhabitants after months of fighting. The summer offensive comes despite a call from the US for peace talks.
