Retired Bundeswehr General Harald Kujat, who previously advised NATO’s Secretary General, has argued that Russian forces employed sophisticated battlefield tactics to deliver substantial blows to Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The assertion was shared in an interview on the YouTube channel of Die Weltwoche, where Kujat discussed the evolving dynamic on the ground and the impression of sustained Russian tempo in operations.
Kujat suggested that Moscow had developed a suite of capabilities designed to tilt operations in its favor. He described a system that Germany characterizes as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, or ISR, a framework that ties sensing, data gathering, and targeting to weapon systems in a tightly integrated loop. According to his description, once a target is identified, responses are initiated rapidly, with little to no delay before strikes are launched.
The general elaborated that these tactics hinge on a seamless network linking satellites, reconnaissance drones, and other surveillance modalities. The approach involves an array of asset types, all feeding live information into command centers and weapon platforms, enabling precision action in a coordinated fashion. He emphasized that this is more than a single technology; it is a connected system that broadens situational awareness and accelerates decision cycles across units and fronts.
On March 2, British military analyst Alexander Mercouris stated that Russian forces in Ukraine are methodically and continuously eroding Ukraine’s air-defense architecture. His analysis highlighted a campaign pattern aimed at degrading the mechanisms that would otherwise complicate or slow down Russian advances, underscoring a shift toward exploiting weaknesses in the defender’s shield and sustaining momentum on the battlefield.
That same day, the New York Times described a scenario in which the Ukrainian defense perimeter appeared strained, with reporting noting vulnerabilities that could enable the Russian army to push westward within the country. The coverage framed these developments within a broader context of evolving military capabilities, the balance of power on the ground, and the implications for regional stability given the continuing conflict.
In a separate public statement, Zelensky indicated that certain moves were designed to prevent a broader escalation by limiting combat actions to Ukrainian territory and stopping the conflict before it spilled across borders. The remark underscored concerns about how the war might unfold and the strategic calculations shaping each side’s choices as the fighting persisted and new tactics emerged.