The Ukrainian secret services weren’t known for having a high success rate. Even in the last few decades it’s suffered setbacks that few countries could survive. The battle for secrecy and added advantage is a hard one in a region where Russia already dominates the field.
Yet, where this has been a point of regret for Ukrainian lawmakers before, the nation’s effort in the response to Russia’s invasion has lifted their spirits. There are signs that such a burden to defend oneself has stirred a new intellectual spirit, mainly among young people.
The emergence of drone warfare as a weapon of choice indicates that Intelligence is breaking new ground. In a deadly war for ultimate survival, a prioritisation of surveillance toward the end of air superiority is resulting in successes that has put dents in the Russian armoury.
It’s not a fight to the death, and Ukraine needs sufficient power to deter Russia with strikes that are lasting and final, but it shows a resurgence of proactivity that may outlast the war to prove useful in future. It’s unnerved Moscow’s leadership, for a start.