Russia's winter offensive in Ukraine fails to achieve its goals: analysis

Russia's winter offensive has failed to achieve its goal of seizing Ukraine's eastern Donbas region by the end of March, a US think tank has said.

A Ukrainian serviceman at a position near the frontline eastern city of Bakhmut, amid Russia's invasion, March 17, 2023.

Photo: EPA/MARIA SENOVILLA

Citing Russian, Ukrainian, and Western sources, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that "the Russian winter offensive has failed to achieve the Kremlin’s goals of seizing the Donetsk and Luhansk oblast administrative borders by March 31."

New: Russian, Ukrainian, and Western sources observed that the Russian winter offensive has failed to achieve the Kremlin’s goals of seizing all of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts by March 31.

Our latest: https://t.co/5A4xcPwA1e pic.twitter.com/BYM2RuMjYo

— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) April 2, 2023

According to the ISW, Russian military bloggers have expressed concern over Russian forces' ability to finish their offensive operations in Bakhmut and Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast before Ukraine's expected counteroffensive.

The ISW also reported in its latest analysis of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine that there was growing speculation that Russia might soon reshuffle its senior military command due to the failed winter offensive.

Here are today's control-of-terrain maps of #Russia's invasion of #Ukraine from @TheStudyofWar and @criticalthreats .

Interactive map, updated daily: https://t.co/hwgxTnU2Tr

Archive of time-lapse maps, updated monthly: https://t.co/IT6FiqwgGO pic.twitter.com/9at9COYn9I

— ISW (@TheStudyofWar) April 1, 2023

Sunday is day 403 of Russia's war against Ukraine.

(gs)

Source: PAP, understandingwar.org