Russia appears to launch new offensive in Ukraine amid peace talks – The New York Times
Russia’s dual campaign of intensified frontline assaults and bombardment of Ukrainian cities has further reduced the prospects for a ceasefire. Amid the launch of new peace talks with Ukraine, Moscow appears to have initiated a large-scale summer offensive.
This is according to The New York Times, as reported by Censor.NET.
"After months of incremental gains, Russian forces are now advancing across Ukrainian battlefields at the fastest pace seen this year. They are bombarding Ukrainian cities in some of the largest drone and missile strikes since the war began. They have even opened a new front in northern Ukraine. The Kremlin’s summer offensive appears to be underway," the article states.
According to analysts from DeepState, the enemy’s average daily advance has reached 14 square kilometers — twice the rate recorded in April.
The main pressure has fallen on Donetsk region, where Russian forces have breached Ukrainian defenses between Pokrovsk and Toretsk and are advancing toward the last remaining logistical hubs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area, the publication writes.
Russia has also launched an offensive in Sumy region, aligning with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s May 23 statement about creating a "buffer zone" along the border with Kursk and Belgorod regions.
Despite some localized gains on the battlefield, Russia’s overall advance remains slow, and few analysts expect it to achieve a decisive victory this summer that would fundamentally shift the course of the war, The New York Times notes.
Journalists note that over the winter, Russia actively stockpiled equipment, improved communications, and upgraded its attack drones.
Around 50,000 troops — including Airborne Forces units — were deployed to Kharkiv region. This buildup came amid statements by the Russian delegation at the Istanbul talks expressing intentions to seize two more Ukrainian regions.
Although analysts doubt that Russia has the resources to occupy the entire border zone, the incursion into Sumy region has already forced Ukraine to redeploy thousands of troops there.
Analysts believe that Russia is employing combined drone and missile strikes to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defense systems, exhaust the civilian population, and weaken the country’s industrial capacity.
In addition, as noted by The New York Times, Russia has upgraded the engines in its Shahed drones, making them faster and more powerful — and therefore harder to intercept.
"Some Western analysts suggest that Putin may be taking advantage of the dry season — the most favorable time for offensive operations — to maximize his leverage ahead of potentially engaging more seriously in peace talks later this year. They argue that for Russia, which has held the battlefield advantage for much of the past two years, it would be a rational move to use military pressure as a bargaining chip in any future negotiations," the publication adds.
