--- title: "The War Will Be Decided in the Sky: Zelenskyy Claims Initiative Seized and Russia Lost Control of the Sea" description: "Zelenskyy stated that the outcome of the war will be decided in the sky, where Ukraine is already competitive. The President emphasized that Russia has lost control of the Black Sea, and the initiative has passed to Kyiv. πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦βœˆοΈπŸŒŠ" date: 2026-07-06T18:56:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/the-war-will-be-decided-in-the-sky-zelenskyy-claims-initiative-seized-and-russia-lost-control-of-the-sea tags: [] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # The War Will Be Decided in the Sky: Zelenskyy Claims Initiative Seized and Russia Lost Control of the Sea ![Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in black shirt against Ukrainian flag β€” statement on seizing initiative in the sky and Russia losing control over the sea](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/06/zelenyj-zayavil-chto-voyna-reshitsya-v-nebe-i-rf-poterjala-kontrol-nad-morem/zelenyj-zayavil-chto-voyna-reshitsya-v-nebe-i-rf-poterjala-kontrol-nad-morem-1.webp) ### The Deciding Factor: Shifting to the Air Domain The outcome of the full-scale war with Russia will be decided in the sky. This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with the Financial Times. The head of state emphasized that in the modern conflict, the size of the territory takes a back seat, and air superiority becomes the key factor. According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine has already achieved competitiveness in the air domain. This allows Kyiv to effectively counter the aggressor, despite geographical and resource imbalances. ### The Air Defense Problem and the Cost of Giving Up Nuclear Weapons Despite successes in aviation, Zelenskyy acknowledged that air defense remains Ukraine's main vulnerability. The President linked this problem to the historical decision of the 1990s, when Kyiv gave up nuclear weapons in exchange for security guarantees from the West and Russia. "Without nuclear weapons, you are no longer part of the club that others are afraid to attack. Instead, you become part of the club that can be attacked," the head of state noted, pointing to the lack of a deterrent factor. ### Seizing the Initiative and the Situation at Sea During a meeting with Ukrainian servicemen, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv has seized the initiative and moved the war onto Russian territory. He expressed confidence that the international community expects one thing from Ukraine β€” overcoming Russian aggression. The President paid special attention to the situation in the Black Sea. Zelenskyy stated that Russia has lost control of the region. The liberation of Snake Island and the successful operations of Ukrainian military forces in Crimea, he said, proved that neither the Black Sea nor the Sea of Azov are safe for Russian ships anymore. To confirm these words, during a speech to the troops, a diagram of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was shown, marking enemy ships destroyed or disabled by Ukrainian forces. ### Expectations Within Russia Earlier in June, Zelenskyy noted that more than half of Russian citizens are striving for the end of the war. In the opinion of the Ukrainian leader, this is due to the fact that Russians see the lack of victory on the battlefield and realize the futility of military efforts.