Putin’s “Demilitarization” Plan Backfires as Ukraine Emerges as Europe’s Largest Army and Drone Warfare Leader
When Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he said the goal was to “demilitarize” the country. Four years later, the opposite seems to have happened.
Ukraine now fields one of the largest armies in Europe and has become a global leader in drone warfare. Ukrainian experts are even helping protect infrastructure in the Persian Gulf and training forces within NATO.
Did the invasion unintentionally turn Ukraine into a military powerhouse — and what does that mean for the future of European security?