Russia's summer offensive becomes a crisis for Ukraine

Russia's summer offensive becomes a crisis for Ukraine

near Pokrovsk, in the east of Ukraine - the dark, moonless night is only interrupted by the buzzing of a Russian drones. So far, Dmytro has not received a single patient in his small field hospital with two beds near Pokrovsk, which is a worrying sign in this situation. The dawn breaks - the time when the evacuation of the wounded from the front is the safest - but nobody comes, while the enemy drones circling over them.

difficult evacuation situation

"We have a very difficult situation with the evacuation," says Dmytro. "Many of the wounded have to wait for days. For the Russian drone pilots, it is an honor to kill doctors and wounded." That evening no wounded soldiers reach the front line. The superiority of the Moscow drones in the sky above this stabilization point, just 12 kilometers away from the Russian troops, probably makes it impossible to bring even armored vehicles safely to the wounded. The struggle for the key town of Pokrovsk is raging on the street - for months in the focus of the Kremlin, it is now faced with the risk of encirclement.

Russian progress in the east

In the entire eastern Ukraine the small progress of Russia. The country uses a number of small advances and invests considerable resources in an emerging summer offensive that could redesign the balance of power on the front. After four days of reporting in the villages behind Kostiannivka and Pokrovsk - two of the most competitive Ukrainian cities in the Donetsk region - CNN has observed the rapid change in control over the territory. Russian drones were able to penetrate deeply into areas, on which the Ukrainian armed forces were once instructed as oases of calm, while the troops had difficulty mobilizing the necessary support to stop the constant enemy advance.

international reactions

The Russian offensive gains dynamics, while US President Donald Trump has drastically shortened his deadline for peace between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine from 50 to 12 days. Trump expressed his "great disappointment" about Putin and indicated that the Kremlin chief had already decided not to consider the ceasefire that had been required by the United States and its European allies for months. This was received positively in Kiev and could exercise stronger pressure on the western capitals to provide diplomatic or military support for Ukraine. Nevertheless, it seems unlikely that this will change the Moscow course, where the superior manpower and tolerance show initial successes for losses.

combat situation in Pokrovsk

The effects of the developing crisis are particularly noticeable around the city of Pokrovsk, which has been attacked by Moscow for months with high losses for the Russian troops. A Ukrainian commander reported a "very bad scenario" in which the troops in the neighboring city of Myrnohrad drove to "encircled". The officer added that the Russians had already advanced into the nearby village of Rodynske and operated on the edge of Biletske along the supply routes for Ukrainian troops in Pokrovsk - an assessment that was confirmed by a Ukrainian police officer and another soldier on Tuesday.

strategic implications of the offensive

The loss of Pokrovsk, Kostiannivka and Kupiansk in the north would trigger three separate crises for Kiev. First, these are urban areas, from which Ukraine defends the rest of the Donetsk region it controlled. Secondly, it would make it possible for a considerable number of Russian forces to vehemently move on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk - the largest cities in Donetsk, which are still under Ukrainian control. Thirdly, this loss would expose the Ukrainian armed forces, while they have to defend mostly open agricultural areas without any noteworthy cities in the way.

The humanitarian situation

The pressure on Kyiv is additionally reinforced by the first offensive wave of Russia in the region. Signs for this were also evident during a continuing attack on the city of Dobropilia, where Russian drones made several civilians two weeks earlier. The residents are anxious for the police for evacuation, while the drone threat has increased significantly in the past few days. A police officer was surprised at the rapid dissolution of Ukrainian control and reported that the civilian bus service ended abruptly, which forces the residents to either flee in armored police vehicles or with their own vehicles.

summary

The escalation of the fights in the east of Ukraine and the persistent Russian attacks present Kiev enormous challenges. The combination of a lack of personnel in the Ukrainian armed forces, the uncertainty about arms deliveries and the dynamic changes on the front creates a perfect storm situation that not only exacerbates the battles, but also significantly influences the geopolitical framework.