Russian Forces โAdvance in Ukraine Amidst Heavy Losses and Shifting โRecruitment Tactics
POKROVSK, UKRAINE – Russian forces are making incremental gains in eastern โขUkraine, particularly around the Pokrovsk area, despite suffering critically importent casualties and appearing to adjust recruitment strategies, according to โขrecentโ reports.
Ukraine’s military command reports โnearly 14,000 Russian soldiers have beenโข killed orโค wounded in the Pokrovsk areaโฃ since late August. CNN has not independently verified these figures. A recent estimate by the center for Strategicโฃ and International Studiesโ suggests substantial Russian losses.
Facing these โsetbacks,โ the Russian defense ministry is reportedly scaling back โthe generous sign-on bonuses โขpreviously offered to attract recruits. The Washington-based Instituteโ for the Study of War (ISW) suggests โthis indicates “diminishingโ returns” on financial incentives โขand may lead the Kremlin to consider mobilizing โmembers โof Russia’s active reserve “on a rolling basis” to sustain combat operations.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is focusing on long-range strikes against Russian energy infrastructure in โคan effort to compel negotiations. Ukrainian officials report accomplished strikes against 45 facilities inโ Russia’s fuel and energy sector sinceโ the beginning of the year,โฃ disrupting anโค estimated one-fifth ofโข Russia’s refining capacity. Despite these efforts, Ukraineโค has been unable to secure โa commitment from former President Trump to โsupply โTomahawk missiles.
More than 1,300 days after the โคfull-scale invasion began,the conflict appears to be at a stalemate,with one expert observing that “Ukraineโ cannot destroy โฃRussia’s โฃwar capacity,while Russiaโ appears unable to militarily defeat Ukraine.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to signalโ any willingness to agree to a ceasefire or negotiations.
