In brief
General Oleksandr Syrskyi says Ukraine’s counter‑offensive and technology superiority have neutralised Russia’s push, citing a six‑to‑eleven‑fold higher casualty ratio. He asserts that earlier defections of soldiers and chaotic withdrawals in eastern cities reflected the unequal power of the two armies. After being dismissed amid clashes with defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Syrskyi still defends the use of drones and advanced weapons that he claims now account for 80 % of Russian losses. He warns European allies not to underestimate Russia’s ambitions and stresses that future battles will rely more on autonomous systems while still requiring human command.
After his abrupt dismissal in the summer of 2024, former Ukrainian commander‑in‑chief Oleksandr Syrskyi told the BBC that the war’s front line has “stabilised” and that Russia’s advance has been effectively stopped. He attributes this stalemate to a combination of high Russian casualties and the technological edge Ukraine has gained, particularly through the extensive use of drones and unmanned systems.
Syrskyi says Russia has lost roughly six times as many soldiers as Ukraine, a figure that climbs to eleven times when counting only those killed. Independent estimates from the UK intelligence community and the Center for Strategic and International Studies suggest about half a million Russian troops have been killed, while Ukrainian losses are estimated at 150,000‑plus as of mid‑2026. These figures, according to the general, explain why “the front line has been stabilised” and why Russia can no longer sustain large‑scale offensives.
The former commander also criticised soldiers who claimed they were ordered to hold ground even when almost surrounded, arguing that such decisions exposed them to unnecessary loss. While he does not deny that difficult choices are inevitable on the battlefield, he stresses that the scale of Russian forces—18 jets and two‑and‑a‑half times more artillery shells plus four million mobilisation‑eligible men—creates a capacity to push forward that Ukraine must counter with precision strikes and technological superiority.
Syrskyi’s comments come after a bout of disagreement with then‑defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov over procurement priorities. He accused Fedorov of favouring drones at the expense of front‑line equipment such as unmanned ground vehicles and motorbikes, leading to supply imbalances that hinder frontline operations. Despite Fedorov’s reputation as a digital‑tech advocate, Syrskyi maintained that his command ordered the creation of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces and that drones now account for 80 % of Russian casualties.
Looking ahead, the general stresses that Russia’s most recent incursions, including the brief 2024 incursion into Kursk, served to divert Russian forces and allow Ukrainian units to regroup. He urges European partners to abandon any sense of illusion that the war will be contained and to prepare for potential escalation, especially considering the approaching winter.
The future, Syrskyi asserts, will see a larger role for artificial intelligence and automated systems in both combat and defense. “Even ordinary weapons now get an AI‑based control system to enhance their capabilities,” he says. Nonetheless, he emphasises that human command will remain essential on the battlefield.
