Putin pushes for NATO restructuring — ISW

Analysts analyzed Putin's speech from January 15, 2026. In it, Putin again stated that the war is a direct consequence of the West's disregard for Russia's interests by expanding NATO, despite alleged public promises not to do so.

This indicates that the Kremlin's strategic goals have remained unchanged since 2021.

ISW experts emphasize that Moscow's plans go far beyond Ukraine's borders. Putin seeks a radical change in the security architecture on the continent, which would effectively mean the destruction of the North Atlantic Alliance.

Russian dictator's new strategy

Experts have analyzed the latest Russian massive attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities. They call the Kremlin's actions a diabolically cynical strategy because the strikes are carried out precisely when temperatures drop to critical levels.

Intelligence highlights several key aspects of Russia's campaign against the energy system:

• Using cold weather as a weapon: attacks are planned according to weather forecasts to cause maximum damage to civilians during peak periods of frost.
• Pressure on society: Russians expect that the lack of light, water, and heat will force Ukrainians to demand that the government make concessions to the aggressor.

Against the backdrop of a protracted war, Vladimir Putin is increasingly using doubles for public appearances. According to Western analysts, this practice has become part of Putin's personal security strategy, as he seeks to minimize the risk of assassination attempts within the country and during trips abroad.

At the same time, Russia is encountering difficulties on the battlefield due to a technological lag in the production of heavy drones. While Ukraine is effectively using modern drone systems, Russia is only recognizing the need to urgently develop new platforms. The Russian command has announced plans to create drones for logistics and strike operations in an attempt to catch up with Ukraine's technological capabilities.