View from London: Russia’s advance in Ukraine accelerates for fourth straight month

Russia has accelerated its gains across the front lines in Ukraine for the fourth consecutive month, new analysis has shown, writes ‘The Telegraph’.

Moscow had made net gains of 195 square miles last month, 146 square miles in April and 92 square miles in March.

In recent days, Russia has claimed to liberate the town of Chasiv Yar, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.

Russian forces have created at least four growing salients in the Donetsk region as they look to envelop the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk and capture the garrison towns of Kostiantynivka.

While the situation is becoming increasingly perilous for Ukraine, the front line is not at risk of a complete collapse, Michael Kofman, of the Carnegie Endowment, a US think tank, said after a recent trip to the country.

Russian forces have been able to capitalise on improvements to the deployment of drones, whittling away the Ukrainian advantage, which had helped it overcome Moscow’s materiel and manpower advantages.

The Kremlin has also ratcheted up its long-range drone attacks on Ukrainian targets to the highest intensity since the start of the war.

Russian forces fired more drones at Ukraine in July than in any month since 2022, according to an analysis by AFP, the French news agency.

Russia fired 6,297 long-range drones into Ukraine last month – up nearly 16 per cent compared with last month, and the third straight monthly increase.

Moscow’s armed forces also fired 198 missiles into Ukraine this month, more than in any month this year except in June, according to the data released by Ukraine’s air force.

The US president has threatened to hit Russia with a 100 per cent trade tariff and to also slap the same rate on countries buying fossil fuels from Moscow if Vladimir Putin refuses to end the war in Ukraine.

He is preparing “shock and awe” sanctions on Russian exports, Senator Jim Risch, the Republican chairman of the powerful Senate foreign relations committee, has said.

On Friday, Putin signalled no change in his war plans despite the looming threat of US sanctions. The Russian president said his forces were advancing along the entire front line in Ukraine and claimed he would be willing to hold more peace talks with Ukraine.

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