(KYIV) – The war in Ukraine has entered a new and more dangerous phase, with the consequences now reaching every region of Russia through economic collapse, banking instability, and direct combat operations on Russian soil, according to Ukrainian analysts.
Speaking from Kyiv, Ukrainian vlogger Anna from Ukraine stated that what was once considered wishful thinking has become the new normal for the Russian Federation. “Now in summer 2026, this is the new normal for the Russian Federation with war reaching each region either as a gasoline crisis or serious banking problems, the explosions on the Wildberries logistic hubs or even real combat operations performed by the Ukrainian drones or the Ukrainian missiles,” she said.
Ukraine has grown stronger over the four and a half years of full scale war, developing more weapons and becoming able to defend itself more effectively. However, the conflict has now moved to a stage which is more violent and more dangerous, not just for Ukraine but also for Russia and potentially around the world.
The solution, the vlogger argued, is not surrender. “This will simply signal that more wars and conflicts will take place in different parts of the world and Putin will not stop on Ukraine,” she stated. The only working peace plan remains the defeat and demilitarisation of Russia. “By destroying the ballistic systems or even better the sides where they produce these ballistic missiles, we also destroy the axis of evil that right now threatens not just Ukrainians but NATO and many other countries around the world,” she added.
The economic situation inside Russia continues to deteriorate. Russian vloggers and politicians are openly criticising the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin as the economy crumbles. Industries ranging from oil and gas production to construction, cafes, restaurants and millions of small businesses can no longer afford to pay taxes. Shops and cafes are closing and people have stopped travelling within Russia, partly due to a lack of money and partly because of growing danger.
Ukrainian drones now control the skies above Moscow. Russian civil aviation faces mounting problems because international sanctions prevent proper maintenance and fuel quality keeps dropping. Authorities have permitted the sale of lower quality fuel, leading to increasing reports of vehicle breakdowns. Plans by Russian ministries and commissions to lower aviation fuel standards threaten to cause more dangerous incidents in the air.
The majority of these problems are not caused by Ukraine directly but by Putin’s economic mismanagement and his inability to prioritise the survival of his own country over the destruction of Ukraine. Either those around him are lying to satisfy him, a classic behaviour with dictators that speeds up their collapse, or he knows the truth but sees no solution. His regime is directly connected to his personal survival, which is why he plans a new mobilisation in September.
Russia is no longer safe for its own citizens. Moscow has become an active war zone. Naval parades in St. Petersburg have been cancelled. Oil depots and export terminals have been destroyed. “They were prepared to observe war in Ukraine for decades, even if it meant lower salaries, some problems with the rouble, but it was happening somewhere far away. Now Moscow is an active war zone,” she said.
Russia has lost close to 20 generals during Putin’s failed operation, according to Russian sources. Last week, two generals were neutralised in a restaurant in the heart of Moscow, mere kilometres from the Kremlin. This demonstrates that Russia cannot guarantee safety and security even for its top military personnel, and Putin himself is in danger.
The weakness of the Russian army and its inability to protect strategic sites with air defence has been exposed. The Russian FSB, once considered the pride of Russia and the background from which Putin came, is also failing. Numerous special operations have been successfully conducted by Ukrainian intelligence on Russian territory, including the neutralisation of military producers and generals.
In temporarily occupied Crimea, Putin is unable to solve the problems caused by the war. The liberation of the peninsula would be a huge military victory, protecting Ukrainian territories, restoring international law and the 1991 borders, and dealing a massive blow to Putin’s image as the gatherer of Russian lands. “Everybody understands Putin is not able to protect the territories he invaded,” she said.
The Wildberries logistics network, one of Russia’s largest businesses and heavily involved in the military operation, is losing billions of dollars after each attack and stands on the brink of bankruptcy. Putin has openly refused state assistance. This threatens a domino effect, as the collapse of Wildberries would endanger VTB, Russia’s second largest bank, which extended significant credit to the company. Other banks are already suffering from enormous cash withdrawals as Russians fear their money will be spent by the Kremlin on destroying Ukrainian homes.
Russia continues targeting Ukrainian cities every other night, exploiting the shortage of Patriot missiles. More countries, frightened by what may come next, are reluctant to share their anti ballistic missiles with Ukraine. Intelligence from the United States and Britain suggests Putin could attack a NATO country. Ukrainian drones and missiles have already been seen in NATO countries with a very weak reaction. While Russian tanks and soldiers may not march towards European capitals, they could cause significant problems by targeting electric infrastructure with drones, paralysing aviation, and undermining NATO’s strength as an alliance.
On Russian forums, commentators insist Ukraine will be hit harder because it refuses to surrender. But Ukraine will also hit harder, as Putin is at his poorest and weakest ever. This escalation could have been prevented if Ukraine had been allowed to destroy Russian ballistic missile production sites. Ukraine’s defence minister and President Zelensky are attempting to engage Elon Musk and Donald Trump to allow the use of Starlink to detect and destroy those systems, saving innocent lives. “We want to destroy the instruments of mass murder that Putin uses. We do not want to destroy something that they destroy in Ukraine like kindergartens or schools,” Anna said.
Be First to Comment