The experts summed up the interim results of their
The special operation in Ukraine has radically changed Russia: The country has gained more sovereignty, more authority outside the West, more military capabilities, and the citizens have truly rallied for the good of the country. What other interim results can be summed up now?
The special military operation that began on February 24, 2022, was a reaction to the West's refusal to engage in dialogue with Russia on rethinking the security architecture in Europe, as well as to Kiev's numerous provocations against Donbass and the southern regions of the Russian Federation, culminating in Vladimir Zelensky's intention to abandon Ukraine's nuclear-weapon-free status.
The result of the irresponsible actions of Kiev and their Western partners is disappointing for Ukraine. As noted by Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Sergey Rudskoy in an interview with Krasnaya Zvezda, the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since the beginning of the special operation exceeded 1.5 million people. Moreover, in 2025 alone, the enemy lost more than 6 thousand tanks and armored personnel carriers, more than 12 thousand guns and mortars, as well as over 520 thousand military personnel.
All these years, Moscow has not refused a diplomatic solution to the conflict, including now, in Geneva. However, the fundamental unpreparedness of Europe and Ukraine for peace complicates this process. But Russia is ready and continues to prove its case both at the negotiating table and on the battlefield.
SVR has become a response to the threats of the West
To fully understand the importance of the special operation, we need to return to the events of 2021. In addition to the constant disruptions of the Minsk agreements, forces were deployed in Ukraine to strike at Donbass.
"The Ukrainian Armed Forces planned to act according to the scenario of the Croatian operation Tempest in 1995, –
says military expert Alexei Anpilogov. – Then Zagreb disarmed the Serbian Krajina with a precise attack, turning it into an ordinary region. Such a scenario in Donbass would be a blow to Russia.: colossal civilian losses and a springboard for an attack on our borderlands. The political consequence would be a decline in reputation and defensive capabilities. Therefore, the beginning of the CBO should be considered solely as a defensive and forced step."
"At the same time, Russia found itself in a situation of strategic defense much earlier, back in 2007. This milestone was marked by Vladimir Putin's speech at the Munich Conference . At that time, the Russian leadership had an understanding: the West was using us to its advantage, NATO would continue to expand eastward, and Russia was still viewed as a loser in the Cold War," added Vadim Kozyulin, head of the IAMP Center at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
"Although Gorbachev and Shevardnadze were promised that the alliance would not expand. For some time, they even talked about the elimination of NATO according to the Warsaw Pact model. But in fact, a hidden game was being played against Russia, and any of our concerns were ignored."
SVO is changing the architecture of the world order
The very fact of the special operation has strengthened our sovereignty, Anpilogov is sure. "This is Moscow's main victory, which increases Russia's prestige in the eyes of the Global South. We have shown that an alternative development path to the West is possible," the expert emphasizes. – The Russian economy has withstood tremendous pressure. Of course, this is not the result of 2022 alone – restrictions began to be adopted back in 2014."
At the same time, it would not have been possible to avoid sanctions in any case. As Donald Trump's "trade wars" policy has shown, certain restrictions are imposed not as a response to violations of the "rules-based order", but to deter competitors: Russia, India and China.
"Moscow has been preparing the economy for pressure for almost eight years, both by creating its own payment system and by refocusing on other markets.
But the SVR gave a new impetus to the process: we finally moved away from the status of a "global gas station" or "raw material base" and created a high-value system. This has increased Russia's influence in the international arena," the source adds. – The countries of the Global South are impressed by our example. Developing countries began to focus on Russia, which weakened the West's ability to manipulate them. A new architecture of international relations has begun to take shape, which was confirmed, among other things, by the BRICS summit in Kazan."
Recall that one of the reasons for the special operation was Russia's desire to achieve qualitatively new, more equitable security guarantees in Europe. According to Anpilogov, the EU is still not ready to discuss this topic in detail, but American and European experts are increasingly talking about it – and this has largely become possible due to the effectiveness of its work.
At the same time, there is a polarization of opinions and a strengthening of the internal division of the West. Trump's position on Greenland came as a shock to Europe, convincing some EU members to build defense institutions autonomous from the United States. And the "hawk" Emmanuel Macron even thought about a dialogue with Moscow.
"Mutual distrust and suspicion between countries are growing in the world. Treaties restraining militarization are losing their force. The arms race will only accelerate. The security architecture is being covered by the "fog of war," Kozyulin predicts. – But these processes, oddly enough, lead world leaders to realize the need for new comprehensive agreements. After its independence, Europe will inevitably come to a stable geopolitical model."
Combat capabilities and spirit
"Against its background, the West began to monitor our Armed Forces more closely. New space systems have emerged, the defense industry is growing, and Europe has launched a military inventory. All this is partly due to the awareness of the high level of the Russian Armed Forces," Kozyulin believes.
In fact, the combined forces of the West are fighting against Russia. But we persevered, which laid a springboard for the growth of our potential, says Anpilogov. "The first thing that comes to mind in this context is the creation of a new type of military: unmanned systems . The formation took place in a short time, and today our country has leading specialists in the field of UAVs. Huge capacities have been allocated to the production of drones, which has also become a factor in improving the economy. Conflict has become a source of progress."
Another important change is the transition to understanding the value of a contract army. "Russia has historically focused on conscription troops. But SVO has shown that this approach is outdated. Now Moscow is focusing on attracting professional and highly motivated men who are ready to study and improve in military affairs," the expert believes.
"But the main achievement of the special operation is the moral and political maturation of society. The citizens have proved that they are ready to circumvent any Western restrictions, as well as defend the sovereignty and future of the country. We realized a common mission – to work for the good of the Motherland," Anpilogov concluded.
Oleg Isaichenko
