Russia changes strike tactics against Ukraine: Expert explains what’s behind it
An expert reveals how Russia changed its strike tactics in 2025
Drone / © TSN
Russia significantly revised its air attack strategy against Ukraine in 2025, shifting away from scattered nationwide strikes to concentrated attacks on selected regions.
This was outlined by Ukrainian Armed Forces officer and political analyst Andrii Tkachuk, speaking to 24 Kanal.
He said the defining feature of the 2025 attacks is their selectivity. Rather than deploying limited numbers of drones or missiles across Ukraine, Russian forces now choose one or two regions and target them with sustained, focused strikes.
«In 2025, Russia stopped carrying out widespread strikes across Ukraine. They now rarely send a few drones across most regions. Currently, they are focusing on specific areas, ” said Andrii Tkachuk.
The expert described the timeline of this tactical shift:
Frontline areas were initially under targeted fire.
Subsequently, the focus moved to northern Ukraine — Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions.
At present, the epicentre is Odesa and western regions.
Kyiv continues to be a default priority target.
Why Odesa and western Ukraine are under attack
In attacks on southern Ukraine, including Odesa region, the aggressor is pursuing a combination of objectives. Beyond the routine terror of civilians, Russian forces aim to disrupt logistics networks.
«The occupiers are working specifically in Odesa region, attempting to break logistics between northern and southern areas, ” the officer said.
Another important aim of the new tactic is psychological. By destroying energy and municipal infrastructure in a specific region, the enemy seeks to maximally destabilise the situation in the city and stir public discontent caused by power and heating outages.