MOSCOW: Russian forces continue to edge forward across several sections of the long front line in Ukraine despite yet another appeal from US President Donald Trump for a ceasefire along existing positions.
“Both sides should stop where they are,” Trump wrote on social media Friday, following his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington, reports CNN.
But the Kremlin appears determined to consolidate its territorial gains before the onset of winter. Ukraine’s military reported that Russia used a record 268 guided aerial bombs on Friday—well above the recent average of 170–180 per day. Each bomb carries up to 1,500 kg of explosives, targeting Ukrainian forces and infrastructure near the front lines.
Nightly waves of drone and missile strikes continue to batter Ukrainian energy systems. In September, Russia launched more than 180 drones nightly, double the early-year average. Ukraine now acknowledges that up to 30% of drones evade interception. Over the past week alone, Russian attacks included 3,270 drones, 1,370 aerial bombs, and nearly 50 missiles, according to Zelensky.
Analysts note Moscow’s battlefield performance has improved, with enhanced drone warfare, new missile systems, and decentralized command giving junior officers greater autonomy.
Fierce Fighting Across Fronts From Kharkiv to Donetsk
According to CNN, intense fighting is reported around Kupiansk in Kharkiv region, where Russian troops have advanced to the north and east of the besieged town. Ukrainian forces said about 80 Russian soldiers had infiltrated Kupiansk’s center, prompting counteroperations to “clear the city of invaders.”
In nearby Vovchansk, Russian units claim further gains, including the capture of a neighboring village. Further south, in Donetsk, heavy battles rage around Pokrovsk, where Russian forces are reportedly advancing on the northwestern outskirts. The Ukrainian army, however, says it has reclaimed nearly 70 square miles in the area through counterattacks.
Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, dismissed suggestions that Moscow holds the upper hand, stating that “at the cost of enormous losses, the adversary has achieved only minor advances.” He said Ukrainian troops had effectively ended Russia’s “spring-summer offensive.”
Despite those claims, Russia has gained around 120 square miles of territory in the past month, according to the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University.
Western think tanks estimate that over 950,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the full-scale invasion began, with nearly 14,000 casualties in Pokrovsk alone since late August—figures CNN could not independently verify.
Recruitment Strains and Escalating Ukrainian Counterstrikes
Russia’s mounting losses appear to be forcing changes in its recruitment strategy. Regional authorities have reduced enlistment bonuses, signaling the Kremlin may soon resort to mobilizing members of the active reserve to sustain combat operations, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Meanwhile, Ukraine has intensified long-range drone and missile attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, striking 45 facilities since January. Analysts say nearly one-fifth of Russia’s refining capacity has been disrupted. Kyiv hopes these strikes will pressure Moscow into negotiations—though President Vladimir Putin shows no sign of relenting.
More than 1,300 days into the full-scale invasion, the war remains locked in stalemate. As one analyst put it, “Ukraine cannot destroy Russia’s war capacity, while Russia appears unable to militarily defeat Ukraine.”
