War in Ukraine could continue throughout this year - former NAF commander

RIGA - The war in Ukraine could continue throughout this year, Juris Maklakovs, a former commander of the National Armed Forces (NAF), told LETA.

At the same time, Maklakovs does not expect any strong military action until the spring. Besides, there has been no major technological breakthrough at the front, as both warring parties have adapted to the technologies that are being used in the war.

The side with more technology will have the advantage and will be able to advance on the ground. Russia is slowly advancing because it has more weapons, such as missiles, and human resources. Ukraine has a lot of experience, which it can use to partially compensate for the lack of resources. "Ukraine has plenty of weapons, but it needs more people - recruited and professionally trained soldiers," the expert stressed.

While there has been much discussion about Western military support to Ukraine during the four years of the war, Maklakovs notes that effective weapons require the right specialists, and providing them requires the right political decisions by Western countries.

"We remember the beginning of the war, when many said that Russia would be exhausted within a year, but it still has not given up its goals, and is seeking additional resources from both North Korea and China," Maklakovs said.

Russia's massive attack on Ukraine began on the morning of February 24, 2022, on Putin's orders. At the beginning of the year, representatives of the Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB) told LETA that a strategic change at the front in Ukraine is very unlikely in the next six months.

Although the question of possible Russian-Ukrainian peace talks and plans has been raised repeatedly since the beginning of 2025, SAB assesses that Russia is ready to continue hostilities also in 2026, as military tactics, the economy and society are increasingly being adapted to protracted warfare. Russia has not abandoned its maximum goals for Ukraine, SAB assessed.