Russia preparing new offensive in Ukraine amid peace talks in Türkiye, CNN
Photo: The Russian army will try to go on the offensive again (Getty Images)
Russia amasses forces on the front line for a new offensive to seize more Ukrainian territory. Russian president Vladimir Putin wants to capture as much as he can, informs CNN.
Russian commanders "aspire to generate a big force," said a US official, adding that the likely offensive will be aimed at capturing more territory in eastern Ukraine.
"Putin will attempt to take whatever land he can get right up to the outskirts of Kyiv," the second US official said. "The Russians are going to make every effort to get what they can."
Situation on the front line
The preparations come amid a serious shortage of Ukrainian forces on the battlefield. US assessments indicate that Ukraine’s drone capabilities and the effectiveness of its minefields are largely what’s holding Russia back, despite its significant manpower advantage - both in eastern Ukraine and in Russia's Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces still maintain a foothold.
Russia is also facing challenges in assembling the desired number of troops, as both sides continue a grueling and deadly war of attrition in eastern Ukraine, CNN notes.
Additionally, the first official told CNN that there are no signs that North Korea is currently capable of significantly increasing its troop presence in Ukraine, after having lost thousands of soldiers in combat.
However, for several weeks now, US assessments show little change in Russia's military objectives, which still include seizing more Ukrainian territory, despite the Donald Trump administration urging the Kremlin to agree to a 30-day ceasefire and start meaningful peace talks.
Summer offensive
Earlier, CNN reported that surveillance footage has for several weeks shown Ukrainian forces that Russia is relocating significant troops and equipment to positions just a few dozen kilometers from the front line.
Representatives of Ukrainian intelligence told the Financial Times that Russia is preparing for a large-scale offensive in Ukraine, rather than signaling readiness for peace talks.
According to the Kharkiv Operational Group, the Russians are building up their forces, and the summer offensive campaign has in fact already begun.
As a reminder, Russian troops captured significant Ukrainian territory and were positioned near Kyiv in March 2022. However, they were later forced to retreat. Since then, combat has focused on eastern and southern Ukraine.
