Military analysts argue superpowers struggle defeating smaller nations through asymmetric warfare

France 24 interviewed Peter Zalmayev, Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative, who argues that 21st-century military superiority no longer guarantees victory over smaller adversaries. According to the analysis, technological innovation, asymmetric warfare tactics, and political resilience enable smaller powers to sustain resistance against larger militaries—a framework the analyst illustrates through Ukraine's ability to strike deep into Russian territory despite asymmetric force imbalances. The source characterizes this shift as a fundamental challenge to traditional assumptions about power projection.