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Russia launches daily assaults on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure, spews propaganda designed for targeted audiences, continues to abduct Ukrainian children, and hypocritically plays ceasefire games – and in the process has many (apparently including President Trump) believing Ukraine “has no cards to play”.
One does have to wonder about the “intelligence” fed into the White House regarding the reality of the war. (I note it would not be the first time the White House was fed inaccurate information. As I have reported several times. On the Thursday before Ukraine December 1, 1991, referendum on independence President George H.W. Bush believed the outcome of the referendum was in doubt. Most close observers knew the vote would be overwhelmingly in favor of independence.)
We have noted before many Ukrainian advances on the battlefield and relayed stories of how much the United States has benefited from monitoring Ukraine’s defensive warmaking and use of weapons systems.
In this context I set out the article below further explaining Ukraine’s creativity and effectiveness. It is not as if Ukraine has cards “up its sleeve”, they are being played where anyone paying attention can see.
The last line of the article reads, “If you believe Ukraine’s strategy deserves more global attention, share this story. The more people understand how this war is really being fought, the stronger the support becomes.” I endorse your sharing this article.
MEDIUM
How Ukraine Outsmarted Russia Near Pokrovsk
The Kotlyne Counterattack That Changed the Game
With NATO tactics and night operations, Ukraine turned a potential defeat into a precision win and sent a message Russia can’t ignore.
In early May 2025, Ukrainian troops did something the Russians weren’t expecting. They didn’t just hold the line near Pokrovsk they took back territory. And they did it fast, quiet, and smart.
The village of Kotlyne wasn’t just a dot on the map. It was part of a key supply route west of Avdiivka. Russian forces had been pushing hard in that area, hoping to break through toward Pokrovsk and apply pressure from the north. For weeks, Russia had been grinding forward with artillery, armor, and endless drone strikes. They were trying to bleed Ukraine dry.
But Ukraine wasn’t just sitting back.
The recapture of Kotlyne wasn’t a desperate push. It was a calculated, well-planned strike. And it worked because it was built around something Russia still hasn’t adapted to: modern combined-arms warfare.
Here’s what went down:
1. Recon units using commercial drones identified weak points in Russian lines gaps in night coverage, patterns in patrols, and blind spots in their Lancet drone coverage.
2. Ukrainian assault teams, trained in NATO-style maneuver tactics, advanced overnight using darkness, terrain, and speed.
3. Bradleys and Leopard 2 tanks supported the infantry from flanking positions, providing suppressive fire with maximum efficiency.
4. Electronic warfare teams jammed Russian communications mid-operation.
All of it was timed to coincide with a known Russian rotation window when troops were being swapped and command was weakest.
Within hours, Ukraine had taken Kotlyne back. Not with brute force, but with brains.
Russia Wasn’t Ready
What’s striking is how predictable the Russian side still is. Even in 2025, their approach hasn’t changed much: massive shelling, then infantry waves, then waiting for drones to clean up anything left standing.
It’s brutal. But it’s not flexible.
Ukraine, on the other hand, has evolved. NATO training has filtered down to the squad level. Small units are making fast decisions. Commanders are listening to live drone feeds, not old Soviet playbooks.
And in battles like Kotlyne, that edge makes all the difference.
So why does this one village matter?
Because it shows that Ukraine can still take the initiative even when outgunned. This wasn’t a defensive stand. This was a tactical counterattack that worked because of intelligence, coordination, and timing.
Ukraine didn’t win this by luck. They won it because they’ve learned how to fight smarter.
This win gave Ukraine breathing room near Pokrovsk.
It disrupted Russia’s supply line and stalled their northern push.
And it reminded everyone watching that Ukraine is not just surviving it’s outmaneuvering.
Social Media Reaction
The footage of the Kotlyne flag raising exploded on Telegram. Soldiers holding their positions in the trenches, shouting “Slava Ukraini” as smoke still rose in the background.
Comments like:
“This isn’t the Ukraine of 2022. This is the future of war.”
“Russia sends bodies. We send signals, tanks, and tactics.”
“They didn’t see it coming. And they never will if they keep underestimating us.”
And that’s the core of it. Russia still seems to think it’s fighting the same army it saw in 2022. But Ukraine’s learned. It’s adapted. It’s innovating faster than Russia can keep up.
What This Says About the War Now?
- Kotlyne isn’t just a tactical winit’s a sign of something bigger. It tells us three things:
- Ukraine is still capable of offensive action, even after two years of war.
- NATO’s influence is real and it’s working on the battlefield.
Small victories like this stack up. And they matter.
Because wars aren’t won by one big battle. They’re won by dozens of moves like this smart, fast, targeted.
The Russians still rely on overwhelming firepower and outdated tactics. They're pumping men and machines into meat grinders, hoping something sticks. They throw Lancets and artillery at everything, but they’re losing the tactical chess match.
And battles like Kotlyne make that painfully obvious.
Ukraine isn’t trying to match Russia shell-for-shell. It’s disrupting them. Bleeding them where it counts communications, morale, logistics.
And the Russians? They’re getting caught flat-footed. Again.
The Kotlyne counterattack wasn’t flashy. It didn’t get a global headline or a visit from foreign dignitaries. But it showed everyone paying attention that Ukraine’s not just in this fight it’s controlling it, piece by piece.
While Russia throws men into trenches, Ukraine is running modern, coordinated, multi-domain operations.
And that’s why battles like this will define the next phase of the war.
Because in 2025, it’s not just about territory anymore. It’s about tempo, tactics, and transformation.
If you believe Ukraine’s strategy deserves more global attention, share this story. The more people understand how this war is really being fought, the stronger the support becomes.
ROBERT MCCONNELL
Co-Founder, U.S.-Ukraine Foundation
Director of External Affairs, Friends of Ukraine Network
The introduction is Mr. McConnell’s and does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation or the Friends of Ukraine Network (FOUN).