Putin has new 'victory plan,' but West can use three tools to help Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has shifted his military strategy in the ongoing war against Ukraine, focusing on urban warfare instead of front-line battles, according to an article in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) published on October 2. This change of tactics is proving effective, as Russian missiles are now more frequently hitting their targets.

The West, however, has tools at its disposal to counter this strategy. Firstly, Ukraine's allies must bolster their air defense capabilities. Secondly, efforts should be made to reduce the aggressor state's revenue. Lastly, financial aid should be provided to Ukraine to prevent it from collapsing into bankruptcy due to bombing.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has highlighted a significant budget shortfall in Ukraine, with the 2026 budget being short by approximately 24 billion euros ($27 billion). Analysts predict that the 2027 deficit could reach 69 billion euros ($77 billion). To address this, frozen Russian state assets, estimated at about 210 billion euros ($235 billion), stored in the European Union could be leveraged. These funds could be transferred to the EU and provided to Ukraine as a loan.

Meanwhile, Russia is reportedly planning a prolonged war against Ukraine, with estimates of record military spending. Additionally, Ukraine has intercepted Russian plans to cut off large cities from essential services such as electricity, heating, and water supply this winter. These intercepted plans include a series of strikes using up to 1,000 missiles, drones, and bombs, targeting crucial infrastructure like electrical substations, hydroelectric power plants, thermal power plants, and boiler houses.