Western officials are increasingly reporting that Ukraine is hindering russia's advance in Ukraine. But the Kremlin is likely to remain committed to its original war goals, despite some recognition among the russian elite that the war is not going very well.
This was reported by analysts at the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
In particular, they cite the US Defense Intelligence Agency, which noted Ukraine's recent territorial gains after russian troops lost access to Starlink in early February 2026.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also stated that Ukraine's strong defenses stabilize the front line, and also singled out Ukraine's territorial gains.
"Ukraine's intensification of long- and medium-range strike campaigns has also led to increased economic, military, and human costs for russian forces' efforts to support the war effort, resulting in disproportionately limited gains, at least 59,000 seriously wounded, and more than 800 captured prisoners of war," the analysts noted.
Zelenskyy's statement indicated that russian forces have suffered an average of 1,021 personnel killed, wounded, and captured every day since the beginning of 2026.
Bloomberg reported on May 22 that some senior Kremlin officials believe the war in Ukraine has reached a "dead end" with no clear resolution, but russian president vladimir putin still wants to resolve the war on his own terms, including the full capture of the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions by the end of 2026.
"Ukraine's medium-range strike campaign disrupts russian transport arteries in occupied Ukraine and is likely to complicate russian logistics," the Institute for the Study of War concluded.
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