Russia has ramped up its drone strike campaign against Ukraine in what officials are describing as an attempt to overwhelm Ukrainian defenses. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia’s drone attacks have multiplied nearly tenfold compared to last fall, as Moscow increases pressure on Ukraine’s frontlines in the east.

These intensified strikes are employing a new tactic: decoy drones. According to Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s air defense, Russian forces are launching drones equipped with “3D-printed balls wrapped in foil” instead of warheads. These decoys mimic the appearance of Iran-made Shahed-136 drones and are designed to mislead Ukrainian air defenses into targeting them rather than drones carrying lethal warheads. “As many as half of the drones launched by Russia are now decoys,” Ihnat told CNN, noting that these decoy drones are cheaper and easier to produce.

Since September, Kyiv residents have endured nightly attacks, with air raid sirens piercing through the city for hours at a time. According to the city’s military administration head, Serhiy Popko, explosions from Russian drones injured at least two people and damaged several buildings in a significant wave of attacks earlier this week. Popko stated that the drones attacked “in waves, from different directions” and varied altitudes, posing a significant challenge for air defense systems.

“Their goal is to break us morally,” said Vadym Naustinov, a 32-year-old Kyiv resident. Naustinov has devised a personal strategy to cope with the near-constant air attacks, rushing to the subway for safety when he hears drones or explosions approaching. “If the explosions are closer, I hide in the corridor or bathroom and wait,” he explained.

As Ukrainian forces face a relentless Russian offensive on the eastern front, the political climate in the United States has added another layer of uncertainty for Kyiv. With Donald Trump’s recent victory in the U.S. presidential election, questions loom over continued American support for Ukraine. Throughout his campaign, Trump questioned the U.S. commitment to aiding Ukraine, at one point suggesting Kyiv should have “given up a little bit” to Moscow.

In response to Trump’s win, Zelensky congratulated the president-elect and highlighted his appreciation for Trump’s “peace through strength” philosophy. Zelensky recalled their September meeting in which they discussed the Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership and a “Victory Plan” to counter Russian aggression. “I appreciate the support and commitment to true peace,” Zelensky wrote on social media.

Meanwhile, Ukraine marked the third month of its bold cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, a tactic designed to divert Russian forces from the eastern frontlines. Zelensky has framed the incursion as part of Ukraine’s larger strategy to shift the momentum of the war. “True peace is achieved by those who are truly brave,” he said, underscoring Ukraine’s resolve.

To counter Ukraine’s incursion, Russian President Vladimir Putin has strengthened his military’s ranks with North Korean forces. According to U.S. officials, up to 10,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to Russia’s Kursk region and are expected to enter combat against Ukrainian forces soon, signaling an intensifying alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang.

The rapidly evolving conflict underscores the mounting pressures on Ukraine both at home and abroad as Russia amplifies its offensive tactics and Ukraine faces new challenges in securing critical international support.