Russia's spring-summer offensive has effectively failed — ISW
The spring-summer offensive by Russian forces has not yielded significant operational results, and their rate of advance remains significantly lower than last year. This is stated in a new report by the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) dated August 1.
According to analysts’ estimates, in July 2026, Russian forces advanced approximately 121.56 square kilometers, whereas in July 2025, they captured 455.74 square kilometers. Thus, this year the occupiers have captured nearly four times less territory.
The ISW notes that the pace of the Russian army’s advance has not changed significantly since February 2026. Despite intensified offensive operations—including attempts to break through to Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region—Russia has failed to achieve any operationally significant objectives.
Analysts attribute the slowdown in the Russian offensive to counterattacks by Ukrainian forces, strikes on enemy rear facilities, and the dominance of Ukrainian drones, which limit Russia’s ability to use mechanized equipment.
The report also notes that the mechanized assaults carried out by the Russians in July did not yield significant results. The ISW believes that there are currently no signs that the Russian army will be able to sharply accelerate its pace of advance or return to maneuver warfare.
Furthermore, July was Russia’s deadliest month of 2026 in terms of casualties. According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Russian army lost 42,860 troops that month—the highest monthly figure since the start of the full-scale war. ISW analysts note that the Kremlin is suffering increasingly heavy losses without a corresponding increase in the pace of its offensive.
This is reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
As a reminder, during a meeting in Omsk, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on Moscow and Kyiv to halt hostilities along the current line of contact and return to negotiations. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin pretended not to hear this initiative.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is trying to avoid personal responsibility for the war against Ukraine by shifting the blame onto other government officials and Russian citizens.
