Russia begins new attacks on Eastern Ukraine

Moscow

Hopes for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine faded as Russia launched fresh attacks on Ukraine's eastern regions on Sunday, CNN reported. Russian President Vladimir Putin said, "I consider the Russian and Ukrainian peoples to be one people... all of Ukraine is ours."

Despite Russian advances, Ukraine is fighting back and building its own weapons industry. Russia’s war economy is also facing problems. Russian troops are pushing forward along a 1,200-kilometer (746-mile) frontline. Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said there are now about 111,000 Russian soldiers near Pokrovsk in Donetsk, up from 70,000 last December. He reported at least 50 clashes daily in that area.

Syrskyi also claimed that Ukraine stopped Russian advances in the northern Sumy region. The Institute for the Study of War said Ukraine regained some territory in Sumy, slowing Russian progress there. Syrskyi added, "The wave of the enemy’s summer offensive is fizzling out."

However, DeepState, a Ukrainian analysis group, warned that Ukrainian defenses are still under heavy pressure, with Russian forces making gains through constant attacks.

Russia’s goal remains to fully control Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions. Experts say at the current pace, this could take years. With less support for ceasefire talks from the US, the conflict might continue into 2026.

The battlefield now combines advanced drone strikes with basic ground attacks. In early June, Ukraine used drones from trucks deep inside Russia to destroy about twelve bombers used to attack Ukrainian cities.

The fighting shows no signs of ending soon, and both sides continue to face heavy losses and challenges.