Russia’s ongoing offensive in eastern Ukraine brought them little territorial gain. The Russians are losing strength in the fight for the small towns and have not been able to get close to Siwirsk and Bakhmut, which they are trying to capture The Institute for the Studies of War (ISW) is hosted by the American Thought Center.
According to the Analytical Center, the Russian offensive in the Donbass, which resumed after an operational hiatus, will peak before the Russians occupy any significant urban centers as the Ukrainians will find it easier to defend themselves than in the less densely populated open areas.
In recent weeks, the Russians have not made much progress towards Slaviansk or around Siwirsk and Bakhmut. At the same time, they lose their offensive power in local skirmishes over relatively insignificant small towns of the Donetsk region, experts say.
Since the capture of Lisiczańska on July 3, the Russian army has been trying to capture Seversk, but by Wednesday they could not approach it. The report said that they also failed to launch a direct attack on Bekmut and were largely stuck fighting for the small towns to the east and south of the city.
The report of the research center indicated that the Ukrainian forces carried out the second consecutive attack on the Antonov Bridge in Russia-occupied Kherson. It was an important logistical route used by the occupation forces. At the same time, he added, the invaders are trying to present these precise strikes to the Ukrainian forces as a pretext for mass deportations of Ukrainians to Russia.
