Russia has once again failed to achieve any significant breakthroughs over the past year - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com

"Russian forces have failed to achieve any significant operational breakthrough on the front line over the past year, while Ukrainian troops have recorded incremental battlefield gains during winter and spring operations into 2026, according to a new assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The think tank said Russian advances have largely stalled in key sectors, including near Kostiantynivka, where Moscow's forces have been unable to breach Ukraine's defensive lines since October 2025."

"By contrast, Ukrainian forces are assessed to have regained territory in a series of counteroffensives, including parts of Kupiansk in autumn 2025 and more than 400 square kilometres in southern Ukraine during subsequent winter and spring operations. Additional gains were reported in western Zaporizhzhia in late April. ISW said these developments suggest a widening gap between Russian operational ambitions and battlefield outcomes, with Ukrainian forces increasingly able to disrupt Russian momentum through a combination of defensive resilience and targeted counterstrikes."

"The report also noted that Ukraine's long-range strike campaign against Russian logistics, equipment and energy infrastructure has intensified significantly, contributing to what analysts describe as reduced Russian capacity to mount large-scale offensive operations. At the same time, the battlefield environment remained fluid during Russia's self-declared May 9-11 ceasefire, with continued fighting reported across several sectors despite Moscow's announcement of a temporary halt."

""The prevalence of mutual accusations and continued localised activity highlights that ceasefires without enforcement and monitoring mechanisms are unlikely to hold," the report said."

Russian forces have not achieved significant operational breakthroughs over the past year, with advances largely stalled in key sectors. Near Kostiantynivka, Russian forces have been unable to breach Ukraine’s defensive lines since October 2025. Ukrainian troops have recorded incremental gains through counteroffensives, including territory regained near Kupiansk in autumn 2025 and more than 400 square kilometres in southern Ukraine during winter and spring operations into 2026. Additional gains were reported in western Zaporizhzhia in late April. Ukraine’s long-range strikes against Russian logistics, equipment, and energy infrastructure have intensified, reducing Russian capacity for large-scale offensives. Fighting continued during Russia’s self-declared May 9-11 ceasefire, which lacked enforcement and monitoring mechanisms and relied on informal expectations.

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