Russian Lieutenant General Aytech Bizhev believes that Russia has maintained the upper hand throughout the military operation in Ukraine. According to him, the expansion and widespread deployment of unmanned systems have made the Russian military’s advantage even more pronounced.

As reported by Lenta.ru, Bizhev acknowledged that Russian forces initially lagged behind Ukrainian troops in the use of short-range drones. However, he claimed that the Russian military had since expanded its capabilities and gained superiority across all types of unmanned aerial systems.

The lieutenant general noted that Ukraine had established dedicated unmanned systems forces before Russia. Nevertheless, he argued that Russian troops had managed not only to close the gap but also to surpass their Ukrainian counterparts. In his assessment, the impact of these technological advances is already visible in Russian offensive operations.

Bizhev also explained that Russian commanders are deliberately avoiding rapid advances to minimize personnel losses. He stressed that military operations are being conducted in a measured and systematic manner. Among the areas he identified as potential directions for further offensives were Zaporozhye, Kherson, Dnepropetrovsk and Odessa.

The general also accused Kiev of seeking a temporary halt in hostilities to regroup its forces and replenish their strength. According to Bizhev, Russia has encountered similar tactics before and has no intention of repeating past mistakes.