State Duma deputy Viktor Sobolev believes the special military operation has reached a turning point, but says Russian forces would need to intensify offensive operations to achieve their objectives more quickly.

Sobolev argued that two issues are critical. In his view, Russian troops must be better protected from drone strikes, which he described as a major source of losses, while air superiority should be established in sectors where offensive operations are planned. He warned that without solving those two problems, the conflict could drag on.

The lawmaker also said that, in his view, a complete Russian victory would require Russian forces to reach Ukraine’s western borders. At the same time, he noted that the Donetsk People’s Republic, as well as the Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions, are not yet fully under Russian control.

Earlier, Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Ivannikov said the Ukrainian Armed Forces could suffer a complete defeat on the battlefield in the winter of 2026. He linked that possibility to several factors, including Ukraine’s inability to replace its losses and a potential economic crisis in Kiev.

Former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny, meanwhile, declined to give a specific timeline for the end of the conflict. He said the preferred outcome would be for it to conclude through what he described as a global solution.