Putin’s Push: Summer Offensive Fails to Deliver a Knockout Blow
Russia Ukraine summer offensive sees slow gains along the 746-mile front after months of buildup and preparation. Russian victories have been gradual, even though 111,000 troops have been deployed in the Donetsk region near Pokrovsk. Russia’s advance has been delayed and some ground has been reclaimed by Ukrainian counterattacks, particularly in the Sumy area.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed territorial ambitions, declaring, “All of Ukraine is ours.” Ceasefire talks are on the back burner.
Ukrainian Resistance and Tactical Evolution
Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that the wave of the summer offensive is “fizzling out.” Ukraine has shifted to more compact, secret defense positions as part of a new strategy.
Ukraine’s burgeoning domestic weapons industry is challenging Russia’s economic and numerical advantages.
Donetsk Battle: Contradictory Results
Russian forces have made considerable progress in the eastern parts of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk, most notably taking the village of Zirka. However, Ukrainian open-source analysts report that the defense lines are straining under constant assaults.
Russia’s goal remains total control of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.
Drone Warfare Escalates: A War in the Skies
The drone war is redefining combat. Ukraine launched successful long-range drone strikes on Russian strategic bombers and a Crimean airbase. Meanwhile, Russia deploys up to 500 Shahed drones nightly, alongside missiles, to exhaust Ukraine’s air defenses.
President Zelensky reported 477 drones and 60 missiles in a single overnight barrage.
Production of Defense and the War Economy
Russia claims to have more than 6,000 Shahed drones in store and is creating 200 of them every day. Rostec, its military conglomerate, produced $46 billion in 2024 and is still producing equipment.
However, prices are going up. Currently, 40% of Russia’s public budget goes on defense. Experts warn of an impending recession due to the skyrocketing inflation.
No End in View
Even with a plateauing offensive and economic hardship, Russia is still able to keep more than half a million troops close to the border. Meanwhile, Ukraine is still demanding Western assistance and more Patriot missile systems.
Defiant, Putin asserts, “Where the foot of a Russian soldier steps, that is ours.”
Source: CNN
