The Full Spectrum of Victory

Welcome to The Ukraine Compass, a weekly digest of Ukrainian commentary and analysis from across the political spectrum only for War on the Rocks members. Each Monday, we bring you a curated selection of articles from Ukrainian media offering insight into how Ukrainians themselves debate the issues shaping their country.American coverage often narrows the view to the battlefield — these pieces widen it, revealing the texture of daily life, politics, and public argument in a nation at war. The perspectives gathered here are varied, candid, and often surprising, together forming a more complete picture of Ukraine as it really is.Frontline and StrategyДзеркало тижня — Dzerkalo Tyzhnia (“Mirror Weekly”)Analysis-driven outlet with a centrist-to-liberal voice“When Technology Is Ahead of the Organization: Why Drones Do Not Replace Systems” By Victor Konev/ Feb. 11, 2026Ukraine’s war has become a drone-dominated conflict, with military officials stating that up to 70% of enemy losses are inflicted by drones. As Russia scales projects like Shahed/Geran through centralized funding and focus, Ukrainian drone units are rapidly expanding — over 420 units now operate across the force. Yet many systems are not combat-ready “out of the box” and require field modification, Victor Konev explains. Commanders he’s spoken with cite personnel shortages, slow manufacturer adaptation, and fragmented tasking as key challenges to battle readiness. Despite this, civilian-led units such as K-2 and Lasar’s Group demonstrate that flexibility, innovation, and focused logistics disruption increasingly determine battlefield effectiveness.“Four years of full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine completely changed the philosophy of modern war. Howitzers and tanks receded into the background. In the vanguard now it is unmanned systems: air, sea, ground. These are impassable kill zones on the contact line, these are mutual raids in the deep rear. If this is not yet a robot war, then we are already on its threshold.”***Фокус— Fokus (“Focus”)National