(MENAFN- UkrinForm) This assessment was provided to Ukrinform by András Rácz, a senior fellow at DGAP's Center for Security and Defense.

“Warfare is changing. And now, with the leaves falling, nature no longer provides cover. In the open field, drones will dominate the fighting. So, in the coming months, I do not see and do not foresee major territorial changes. FPV drones will make any kind of large mechanized maneuvers impossible. The Russians keep trying. Ukrainian drone units keep destroying them. They might gain some territory, of course. But I do not expect any changes at the operational level,” the expert said.

However, he believes Russian forces will still attempt to advance and may seize some territory, but Ukrainian drone units will continue to destroy them.

Commenting on the situation around Pokrovsk, Rácz noted that much depends on whether the city is lost - and currently no one knows.

“But if it happens...it depends on how exactly the city will be lost. If larger contingents become encircled in the city and eventually are forced to surrender, that would be a major problem. If an organized retreat can be carried out while avoiding unnecessary losses, that is much better... An organized retreat is always much better than encirclement and the resulting disaster,” he said.

He emphasized that this war is not just about square meters. It is about fighting capabilities, about preserving the strength of Ukraine's Armed Forces so they can defend whatever must be defended, slowing the enemy, and delivering counterstrikes.

Read also: No reward for aggression: Zelensky outlines key conditions for peace

Asked how long this phase of the war might last, Rácz replied that based on available methods and open sources, one can“more or less predict about six months - unless something unexpected happens, such as changes in the Kremlin.”

“The most likely scenario is that this war will continue with the same intensity over the next six months. Unfortunately. There is no readiness on the Russian side for a ceasefire. The most likely scenario is that the war will continue because Russia does not want to stop. Putin is not looking for a compromise. He is looking for victory. And he genuinely believes he can win, so he will continue fighting. And Ukraine will continue resisting,” Rácz concluded.

As reported, over the past day, Ukrainian defenders stopped 50 Russian assault and offensive attempts in the Pokrovsk sector.

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