"The Sky Will Determine the Outcome of This War," Zelenskyy Says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the decisive phase of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has shifted from land and sea to the air, making the battle in the sky the determining factor of the war.

In an interview with the Financial Times on July 6, Zelenskyy emphasized that land territory size now holds far less significance because Ukraine has entered the aerial sphere and is already competitive within it.

The president noted that Ukraine’s ability to manufacture and deploy long-range drones has transformed the warfare landscape. These aerial capabilities have allowed Kyiv to hit military and energy targets deeper inside Russian territory, effectively weakening Moscow’s military machine.

Zelenskyy outlined specific conditions required to secure this aerial turning point, linking international financial support and defensive resilience to the upcoming shift in the sky.

"Today I believe that victory in this war belongs to the one who is smarter. If you stop the enemy on the battlefield, if you stop the war on land and if you deprive him of dominance at sea, as we did with our naval drones, pushing back the Russian fleet, then the next battlefield will be the sky," Zelenskyy said.

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"If our partners do not abandon Ukraine financially, if our soldiers continue to hold the front, if every kilometer of Russian advance continues to cost them tens of thousands, and sometimes hundreds of thousands of personnel, then the decisive battle will take place in the sky," the president added.

"Because the sky will determine the outcome of this war," Zelenskyy said.

Previously, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had developed upgraded long-range drones capable of striking targets at distances of up to 3,000 kilometers, highlighting the country's expanding deep-strike capabilities against Russian military and industrial infrastructure.

According to Zelenskyy’s address, the new capability was demonstrated during long-range operations against targets inside Russia, including a strike on infrastructure in the Tyumen region, which significantly impacted Russian military logistics and energy facilities.

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