Russia's Summer Offensive Stalls Across Multiple Ukraine Fronts

Russia's summer offensive in Ukraine, launched in May after months of preparation, is losing momentum despite a record number of attacks along multiple fronts, including Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Early gains, particularly in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region and between Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka, have slowed considerably, with Russian forces failing to break through Ukrainian defenses or achieve strategic breakthroughs. Ukrainian forces have recaptured some territory in the Sumy region, halting Russian advances and stabilizing the front line, with commanders emphasizing strengthened fortifications and preparations for potential future attacks. Analysts, including Angelica Evans from the Institute for the Study of War, note that the offensive lacks new strategic initiatives and is essentially a continuation of spring efforts, hindered by depleted resources and poor troop training despite numerical superiority. The dispersal of Russian forces across wide front lines reduces their operational effectiveness, undermining their capacity to capture key cities such as Kramatorsk and further stall their offensive. Overall, expert assessments suggest that Russia's offensive potential is depleted, and its chances of fully occupying contested regions remain extremely low.