EXPLAINER: Why Russia Is Burning Through 35,000 Soldiers A Month

EXPLAINER: Why Russia Is Burning Through 35,000 Soldiers A Month

August 23, 2026 · 8 min

About this episode

Mark Urban examines Ukraine's drone campaign and its impact on Russia's military and economy.

Ukraine’s drone campaign is reaching deeper into Russia than ever before, striking oil terminals, ships and targets around Moscow and St Petersburg. As casualties rise and attacks put growing pressure on Russia’s economy and war machine, is Ukraine beginning to change the course of the conflict? In this bonus audio explainer, The Sunday Times’s Mark Urban examines how Ukraine’s long-range strikes are testing Russia’s defences – and whether Vladimir Putin is approaching a serious turning point in the war. Get in touch: generalandjournalist@thetimes.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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