Putin drags out the war, but it may not work – ISW analysis.

Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have discovered that Vladimir Putin’s strategy is to prolong the war with Ukraine to wear down the Ukrainian army. However, this plan may fail.

The Russian military command has ordered its troops to continue offensive actions in eastern and northeastern Ukraine for a year to deplete the Armed Forces of Ukraine and prevent them from gathering enough forces for a counteroffensive.

«Putin and the Russian military command likely view maintaining the initiative across the entire theater of operations as a strategic priority. They have demonstrated their tolerance for prolonged offensive operations, resulting in gradual, creeping advances far from the planned operational objectives», the ISW report states.

Analysts also noted that the Russian military leadership is currently trying to eliminate the threat from the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region while continuing offensive pressure in eastern Ukraine.

Igor Girkin, a former Russian officer and nationalist who is now in prison, expressed doubts about the official victory strategy promoted by the Kremlin.

According to open data analysis expert Julian Röpcke, defense forces managed to halt the advance of Russian troops near Selydove, but Ukrainian defenders will likely have to leave the city due to the threat of encirclement.

Currently, about 12,000 people live in Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, including 68 children, reported the head of the Donetsk regional military administration Vadym Filashkin.