Ukraine Prepares for Long War with New Doctrine

Military operations in Ukraine are still far from over, as shown by the parties' strategies, notes The Washington Post columnist David Ignatius. To come to terms with this reality, Kyiv is adopting a new doctrine, which former Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk has described as "strategic neutralization." "The goal should not be to inflict a total defeat on Russia..., but to systematically deprive it of the ability to achieve its military objectives," argues Zagorodnyuk.

An example of this approach is Ukraine's success in neutralizing Russia's powerful Black Sea Fleet through the use of drones and missile strikes.

According to the former minister, Ukraine can do the same on land by expanding the "defeat zone" for Russian troops to a distance of 160 kilometers from the front line.

"If it is impossible to convince Putin," says Zagorodnyuk, "then the question is how to systematically thwart his efforts. Ukraine's strategy must now shift from trying to deter attacks to actively preventing Russian operational successes, however long the war continues."