A Turning Point in Ukraine?

Writing in The Free Press, Elliot Ackerman reports from his latest trip to Ukraine, where visits to Kyiv and the front lines near Kharkiv changed his assessment of the war's trajectory. After four years of traveling to the conflict, Ackerman argues that the balance between Russia and Ukraine may be approaching a consequential turning point.

Drone Warfare and the Front Lines

Ackerman traveled with a delegation from With Honor and met Ukrainian medics, military leaders, fighter pilots, and members of the 429th Unmanned Systems Brigade "Achilles." He describes how drones, battlefield surveillance, air defense, and rapidly evolving technology are reshaping modern warfare.

A Close Call Near Poland

The trip ended with a close call. Minutes after Ackerman's group left a gas station near Ukraine's border with Poland, a Russian drone struck the location. Another drone struck a nearby train. No one in the delegation was injured.

Ackerman writes that the experience reinforced his view that Russia's increasingly aggressive actions should not necessarily be interpreted as evidence of battlefield strength.

Read the Full Essay

Read Elliot Ackerman's complete firsthand account and analysis in The Free Press .