Marc Santora

And just the amount of adaptation and evolution that we've seen over the course of three and a half years has forced everyone who's paying attention to rethink some of those doctrines that were long held about what does it take to, you know, both win on the battlefield and also, you know, to prepare for the next fight.

And just the amount of adaptation and evolution that we've seen over the course of three and a half years has forced everyone who's paying attention to rethink some of those doctrines that were long held about what does it take to, you know, both win on the battlefield and also, you know, to prepare for the next fight.

So first of all, you know, we talked about how this was a year and a half in the planning. So while President Zelensky was in the Oval Office being berated, he knew that this plot was, you know, being cooked up. So in any case, he knew he had some cards in his back pocket. Right. I think, you know, we talked a lot about what was Ukraine's goal with this operation.

So first of all, you know, we talked about how this was a year and a half in the planning. So while President Zelensky was in the Oval Office being berated, he knew that this plot was, you know, being cooked up. So in any case, he knew he had some cards in his back pocket. Right. I think, you know, we talked a lot about what was Ukraine's goal with this operation.

And obviously a central goal was security. to slow down these bombardments. But there was a secondary goal, which was to raise the cost of this war for the Kremlin. The Ukrainian theory of how do you stop this war is you have to force the Russians to stop. Diplomacy has so far failed.

And obviously a central goal was security. to slow down these bombardments. But there was a secondary goal, which was to raise the cost of this war for the Kremlin. The Ukrainian theory of how do you stop this war is you have to force the Russians to stop. Diplomacy has so far failed.

So the only way Ukraine sees this war ending is if there is enough pressure and cost on the Kremlin to end their war. So this attack was a part of that. And then we saw today, you know, another remarkable covert operation, which was the third attack on the bridge that crosses from Crimea into Russia. Now, again, this one just happened literally, you know, this afternoon. We don't know the damage.

So the only way Ukraine sees this war ending is if there is enough pressure and cost on the Kremlin to end their war. So this attack was a part of that. And then we saw today, you know, another remarkable covert operation, which was the third attack on the bridge that crosses from Crimea into Russia. Now, again, this one just happened literally, you know, this afternoon. We don't know the damage.

We don't know how successful it was. But it shows you what Ukraine's strategy here is, which is they're never going to have more people than Russia. Russia is willing to lose tens of thousands of soldiers every month Ukraine has been most successful when they've, you know, used their ability to sort of act quickly.

We don't know how successful it was. But it shows you what Ukraine's strategy here is, which is they're never going to have more people than Russia. Russia is willing to lose tens of thousands of soldiers every month Ukraine has been most successful when they've, you know, used their ability to sort of act quickly.

And whether it's surprise, deception, adaptation, that's where they've had the greatest success in this war. And so this operation, going after these Russian bombers, going after the Crimean Bridge again, these play to Ukraine's strengths.

And whether it's surprise, deception, adaptation, that's where they've had the greatest success in this war. And so this operation, going after these Russian bombers, going after the Crimean Bridge again, these play to Ukraine's strengths.

I have no idea. All I know for sure is that nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. They want this war to be over. But none of us really know what will force Putin to stop this invasion and really either engage in good faith negotiations or agree to the immediate ceasefire that everyone, quite frankly, Ukraine, the U.S., the Europeans all want.

I have no idea. All I know for sure is that nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. They want this war to be over. But none of us really know what will force Putin to stop this invasion and really either engage in good faith negotiations or agree to the immediate ceasefire that everyone, quite frankly, Ukraine, the U.S., the Europeans all want.

And what we have instead, since this diplomatic push has sort of kicked into high gear after Trump took office,

And what we have instead, since this diplomatic push has sort of kicked into high gear after Trump took office,

Yeah, I mean, you know, obviously everyone is always looking for that thing that will be the moment that turns the war or that leads to the end of the war. But the honest truth is, you know, this is total war. And in total war, it's everything together that matters. So this operation will help people if it even, you know, lessens the bombardments to some degree.

Yeah, I mean, you know, obviously everyone is always looking for that thing that will be the moment that turns the war or that leads to the end of the war. But the honest truth is, you know, this is total war. And in total war, it's everything together that matters. So this operation will help people if it even, you know, lessens the bombardments to some degree.

That's thousands of people in a city or town who might not have to face a missile bombardment that otherwise would have come their way. But yeah, at the end of the day, I think the Ukrainians are under no illusions.

That's thousands of people in a city or town who might not have to face a missile bombardment that otherwise would have come their way. But yeah, at the end of the day, I think the Ukrainians are under no illusions.