Ukraine’s Counterattack Strategy Shifts Focus Toward Attrition, Says NSDC Chief
Oleksiy Danilov, who heads Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, recently commented on a strategic pivot in the counterattack plans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He indicated that the priority has shifted away from rapid advance and toward gradually wearing down the opposing force. The new approach emphasizes endurance and calculated pressure, with the aim of exhausting the Russian military while maintaining strategic initiative on the battlefield. Danilov’s remarks underscored a methodical, step-by-step tempo intended to exploit distance and logistics as critical factors in the ongoing conflict. The statement appeared on his social media account, where he outlined the revised objectives and the measured pace at which operations are conducted. According to him, the goal is not a speedy breakthrough but prolonged pressure that tests the resilience and response capacity of Russian forces.
Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukrainian forces had launched attempts to breach Ukrainian defenses in the Krasnolimansk direction. The Russian forces asserted that they repelled several Ukrainian attacks in the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics as part of ongoing engagements in the region. These exchanges reflect a broader cycle of offensives and counteroffensives along multiple fronts and illustrate the ebb and flow of momentum in the conflict as both sides adjust tactics in response to evolving circumstances.
On February 24, 2022, a significant development occurred when the Russian president announced a military operation in Ukraine after consultations with leaders in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. This declaration marked a pivotal moment in the conflict and set the stage for a prolonged confrontation that has involved numerous military deployments, strategic realignments, and international responses. Since that time, various branches of the Russian military— including strategic aviation— have been tracked by open sources that monitor troop movements and activity. Analysts continue to assess how these forces integrate with broader operations and influence the balance of power across contested areas.
The evolving narrative around the war includes official briefings from Kyiv and Moscow, alongside independent assessments that seek to parse the goals behind shifting tactics. Observers note that the Ukrainian leadership has repeatedly emphasized resilience and readiness to adapt to changing conditions on the ground, while Russian authorities have stressed defense of their claimed objectives. As the conflict persists, both sides appear to be weighing the same fundamental questions: how to maximize leverage, how to sustain manpower and supply lines, and how to manage risk while pursuing strategic objectives across a broad geographic footprint. The discussion around strategy reflects the broader realities of a protracted conflict where perceptions of momentum, logistics, and morale play pivotal roles in shaping military outcomes and political implications for the region, including neighboring states and international partners.