It is not all that surprising that Moscow is scaling back its World War II Victory Day celebrations.
Ukraine’s expansion of missile and drone strikes against Russian energy infrastructure, command centers, and logistical hubs is demonstrating a deep-strike capacity that is changing the trajectory of the war.
Moreover, Russia is quickly losing its capacity to conduct offensive ground operations at the front in eastern Ukraine.
The confidence being projected by Ukraine’s leadership is indicative of a new era of asymmetrical warfare in which smaller states are becoming increasingly adept at thwarting great powers.
What does this new era portend?
On The Power Vertical Podcast this week, host Brian Whitmore speaks with James Sherr, an honorary fellow at the International Center for Defense and Security in Tallinn, and John Sipher, a 28-year CIA veteran, a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at The Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center, a Senior Fellow at the Michael V. Hayden Center for Intelligence and Policy at George Mason University, and the founder of Spycraft Entertainment.
Enjoy…
Please follow Brian Whitmore and The Power Vertical on Bluesky @powervertical.bsky.social
SHOW NOTES
The audio clips opening the podcast and the second segment came from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech on April 29, 2026.
The translations from Ukrainian are as follows:
“Russia’s oil sector, Russia’s military logistics, and its military production – all of these are entirely legitimate and rightful targets of our long-range sanctions. Importantly, Ukrainian warriors are also using our firepower against Russian enterprises that manufacture guided bombs. They pose a particular threat.”
“We are already observing a decrease in the use of guided aerial bombs along part of the front line. Today, I also approved our new operations – if Russia does not want diplomacy, diplomacy must be imposed on it.”
James Sherr’s article, “The Unfading Mirage of Negotiations,” which was discussed on the podcast, can be accessed here. James Sherr’s other recently published work can be accessed here, here, and here.
John Sipher’s article, “The Age of Asymmetry,” which was discussed on the podcast, can be accessed here. John Sipher’s other recently published works can be accessed here, here, and here.
Brian Whitmore’s report for The Atlantic Council, “Russian Illusions: How the West lost the post-Cold War era,” can be accessed here. His essay, “Russia the Harbinger: Gangsterism, Global Putinism, and the Crisis of the West,” which was recently published as a chapter in the edited volume Perpetual Conflict: Russia and the Struggle for European Security can be accessed here.
The Power Vertical Newsletter on Substack can be accessed here. Other recently published work by Brian Whitmore can be accessed here, here, here, and here. Please follow Brian Whitmore and The Power Vertical on Bluesky@powervertical.bsky.social
