While the world is eagerly awaiting the Friday's meeting of US President Donald Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, there is no indication that Russia is really ready to cease hostilities.
Referring to reports of the Ukrainian intelligence and military, the President of Ukraine Wołodymyr Zelnski said on Monday that “there is no evidence that the Russians received signals to prepare for the post -war phase.” – On the contrary – they group their branches and armed forces In a way indicating that they are preparing for new offensive operations – said Zelanski.
Indeed, it seems that the Russians are currently intensifying attacks to strengthen their position in negotiations with Trump. The situation near the town of Dobropole, northwest of Pokrowska, is particularly difficult. Cities, for which fierce fights have been fought for 17 months.
Small troops, not supported by armored vehicles, broke up there to 10 km deep into the Ukrainian line. According to Ukrainian and Russian sources, these are limited by numbers of subversive and reconnaissance troops.
“Russian invasion near Dobropol is a deeper and faster tactical move than those that have recently reached the Russian forces ” – we read in the latest report from the front of the Institute of War Studies (ISW). Analysts add, however, that” Russia's ability to transform these tactical moves into an operational breakthrough in the near future is not certain. “
Even usually, rather hurricatriotic Russian military bloggers are skeptical about the possibility of securing and strengthening the achieved positions. Infiltration units are isolated and very vulnerable, and without further support they are threatened with breakdown.
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The Ukrainian General Staff announced in the meantime that in order to defend the region Additional forces and equipment will be sent there. Among them, the elite soldiers of the Azow Battalion, who at the beginning of the war, fiercely defended the besieged Mariupol.
Over the past 17 months, the Russians have gone around 55 km around Pokrowska, but suffering huge losses in people and armored vehicles. “Since the summer of 2024, the Russian armed forces have lost over five armored vehicles and tanks in the area of Pokrowska,” writes ISW.
Preparations for “territory exchange”
Russia wants to strengthen its negotiating position by recent attempts to take a larger territory. When Vladimir Putin meet with Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday, conversations will concern “land exchange”. Trump announced it on Tuesday. Zelanski, in turn, ruled out the devotion of Russia in exchange for the end of the fighting.
Trump criticized the President of Ukraine on Monday for not wanting to give Russia to territories in exchange for peace. Zelanski's position in this matter “worried him a bit”.
Russia for many months It exerts pressure on the entire front linefrom the Zaporian District in the south to the Russian-Ukrainian border in the north. Ukrainians manage to repel and limit many Russian attacks, but the Russians – despite the fact that they suffer severe losses – constantly gain more pieces of the area.
According to President Zelanski, the current tendency indicates that Russia suffers three times greater losses than Ukraine – there are three Russians for every killed or wounded Ukrainian. The constant progress of the Russians on the front is therefore a high price. Only in the summary circuit, Ukrainians are currently able to effectively stop Russians.
The Kremlin depends primarily on discouraging Ukraine and the West. “Putin is trying to create the impression that the Russian occupation of the Lugansk, Donetsk, Zaporoski and Kherson region is inevitable to force Ukraine and the West to give up the Kremlin's demands,” say ISW experts.
Meanwhile, the Russian occupation of four circuits “is neither inevitable nor will it take place in the near future.” The Russians face serious operational challenges if they want to achieve these goals. For example, taking the entire Donetsk region can take the Russians for many years.
However, it seems that Russian tactics, consisting in presenting the Russian victory as inevitable, It already brings results in the case of Trump. – The president believes that Russia will win, the only question remains how much it will take – writes Politico, quoting one of the leading officials of the White House.
If the US president is still giving way to Russia, it can become a self -fulfilling prophecy.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
