Russia Makes Fresh Advances in Ukraine

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Facts

  • Russian forces continued to make territorial advances over the past day of fighting in Ukraine, analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Thursday.[1]
  • ISW, a US military think tank that tracks battlefield progress in the war, said: 'Russian forces continue to make slow, steady advances in the Pokrovsk direction' of Donetsk — a strategically important city west of Avdiivka that serves as a Ukrainian military transport hub.[1][2]
  • The advances were confirmed by DeepState, a war-mapping service with ties to Ukraine's military. They reported Thursday that in the direction of Pokrovsk, Russian forces had captured the village of Vesele and advanced in four nearby settlements over the past day.[3]
  • ISW further reported that Russia made additional gains in the Donetsk region — namely near Chasiv Yar, Toretsk and Donetsk city — as well as near Svatove in the bordering Luhansk region.[1]
  • Speaking with French media on Thursday, Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed the territorial losses on a lack of weaponry and equipment available to the country's 14 brigades, stating that there was insufficient materiel to rotate troops and facilitate rest.[4]
  • Zelenskyy further pointed to the West's restrictions on the use of long-range missiles they've provided the country, calling once again for distance restrictions to be lifted so Ukraine can strike targets deeper into Russian territory.[4]

Sources: [1]Understandingwar, [2]CNN, [3]Ukrainska Pravda and [4]TASS.

Narratives

  • Pro-Ukraine narrative, as provided by Atlantic Council. Russian advances are taking place in Ukraine because the country's defenders have insufficient weapons and equipment. The West must speed up shipments and lift the restrictions on long-range weapons in order to support the defense of the nation against Russian aggression.
  • Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. The roots of the Ukraine conflict stem from trying to turn the country into a force to weaken Russia. As long as that aim continues, so too will Russia's Special Military Operation, along with its associated military gains.

Predictions