Drone warfare shifts the Ukraine-Russia battlefield
May 18, 2026
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Quick Take
Ian Bremmer, political scientist and president of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, shares insights on global political events.
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In his latest Quick Take, Ian Bremmer says the war in Ukraine is entering a new phase, with Kyiv retaking territory from Russia through advanced drone warfare.
Ian explains that despite being “wildly outnumbered,” Ukraine is gaining a technological edge, using coordinated waves of ground and aerial drones to hit Russian trenches, infrastructure, and troop movements. “The front lines are moving in the other direction,” he says, as Russia struggles to adapt.
Ian also warns that the shifting battlefield is raising broader geopolitical risks. As Russian casualties mount and strikes reach deeper into Moscow, Vladimir Putin is becoming “increasingly isolated,” surrounded by weaker advisers and facing growing criticism at home.
The result, Ian argues, is a more volatile conflict even as momentum on the ground begins to shift.
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