A million losses and several meters of front: what is the offensive in Ukraine for Russia - WP

Last week, Ukraine conducted one of the largest operations during the war, using more than 100 drones to defeat dozens of military aircraft on several air basements deep inside Russia. The attack, which has been prepared for many months and has been made from the territory of Russia itself, showed how Kiev can achieve significant results, with limited resources, writes The Washington Post.

In the last 17 months, Russia has been trying to move forward in Ukraine through coarse force - and, according to new data, has extremely small results. Since the beginning of 2024, she managed to capture less than 4 700 square kilometers of the territory - a result that clearly does not correspond to Moscow's ambitions significantly expand control of Ukraine.

In some directions, Russian advancement is slower than the attacks of the Allies during the grueling battle of Sommy in the First World War - a battle that became a symbol of vain and bloody operations. For these minor achievements, Russia paid an extraordinary price - in human lives and technology. The number of Russian soldiers in Ukraine has already exceeded the total losses of the Soviet and Russian army in all wars after the Second World War.

In the summer of 2025, the number of total military losses of Russia is likely to exceed one million. In addition, Russia is steadily losing 2-5 times more combat vehicles than Ukraine. In particular, since the beginning of 2024, about 1,200 armored vehicles, 3200 infantry combat vehicles and 1900 tanks have been destroyed. This cruel reality contradicts the narrative that Russia dictates the conditions of conflict.

Thus, since the beginning of 2024, Russian troops have been in the offensive (with minor exceptions). But the initiative itself is not a victory. It matters not only that Russia has gained, but also that it has lost in exchange for it. Russian troops continue to run into a deeply echelorated defense line, which consists of minefields, trenches, anti -tank barriers and artillery positions that break the attacks.

Ukraine also saturates the battlefield with drones, which are now the main cause of deaths at the front. Her deep defense strategy, enhanced by the support of the United States and Europe, turned the war to the struggle to exhaustion, which plays in favor of defenders and punishes the attackers. Despite the fact that the Kremlin seems to be ready to endure these losses, it is not capable of more than slow, grueling advancement.

In fact, the Kremlin's way to victory is not through a brilliant military strategy. And because of the refusal of the event. Without the support of the US, Ukraine will quickly face a shortage of critical ammunition, combat vehicles, air defense systems and high -precision weapons, which will prefer Russian troops.

A psychological blow to the US withdrawal from the conflict can also break the moral spirit of Ukrainians-and lead not to conquest, but exhaustion, as it happened with Austria-Hungary and the Russian Empire in the First World War. Putin is betting on political fatigue in Washington - on the fact that she would bring him what the army could not reach. And this rate also applies to negotiations.

Despite the miserable achievements and catastrophic losses, Moscow does not show interest in serious diplomacy, instead insists on maximalist conditions and continues attacks. But this bluff hides a much weaker position than many in the West. The US has levers of influence. But they need to be used.

American politicians should consider options for continuing and accelerating military assistance to Ukraine - primarily in the form of air defense systems for the protection of troops and civilian, high -precision long -range weapons for the defeat of Russian aviation and command points, as well as ammunition to restrain the offensive on the stretched front. The US should also increase the economic price of war for Moscow.

The Congress is currently being considered a two -party bill that provides for new sanctions against Russia and secondary sanctions against countries that support its military economy. According to one estimation, such sanctions can reduce Russia's income from oil by 20%, raising the price of gasoline in the United States by only 15 cents per gallon. The publication notes that Russia does not occur. It simply blends its army for each meter of territory.

And this will only win if Washington allows it to happen. We will remind, after the gradual dynamics of fighting, which cost both parties, the Russian Federation sharply accelerated the pace of offensive. According to The Wall Street Journal from June 11, peace talks "have gone into a dead end", so the fate of the war will be resolved at the front.