Moscow/Kyiv – The war in Ukraine is being contested on an ever-growing number of fronts, from conventional land grabs to alleged spy ship operations, all under the shadow of a potential superpower confrontation.
On the ground, Russia claims to be winning. President Vladimir Putin announced the capture of nearly 5,000 square kilometers of territory in 2025, a gain he says has given Moscow the “complete strategic initiative.”
At sea, a covert war is allegedly underway. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of using its oil tanker fleet for “reconnaissance and even sabotage,” a claim that expands the conflict into the commercial maritime sphere. He has vowed to work with allies to stop this.
In the diplomatic arena, tensions are at a breaking point. Putin has issued a direct threat to the United States, warning that supplying Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine would trigger a “qualitatively new stage of escalation” and would lead to the destruction of their bilateral relationship.
This multi-dimensional conflict continues to evolve, presenting new and complex challenges for all parties involved.