Russian military attempts to maintain offensive pressure to prevent Ukraine from contesting battlefield initiative — ISW

The Russian army probably does not have enough manpower and equipment for a rapid advance, particularly in the Toretsk and Donetsk directions, so Russian troops are consistently pressing on the entire front line to prevent the Ukrainian Defense Forces from seizing the initiative on the battlefield.

Rubryka writes about this, referring to the report of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

According to American analysts, the deployment of the Central Group of Forces defense zone shows that the Russian military command can assess the improbability of a quick tactical advance in the Avdiivka area.

Specialists of the Institute for the Study of War do not yet understand whether this possible assessment is based on reducing limitations in Ukraine's material and manpower or specifically on assessing the Central Group of Forces' inability to fulfill the assigned tasks.

Military experts say the zone of responsibility, stretching southwest from Donetsk to Toretsk, will divert existing Russian forces and assets from efforts to make a tactically significant advance northwest and west of Avdiivka.

"The Central Grouping of Forces likely lacks the reserves necessary to intensify operations in the Avdiivka area to the degree that would facilitate relatively rapid gains while maintaining offensive pressure in the Toretsk and Donetsk City directions.

The Russian military command is currently attempting to maintain consistent offensive pressure throughout the front to prevent Ukraine from contesting the battlefield initiative, and tasking the Central Grouping of Forces with grinding offensive operations along a longer front is more in line with this effort than tasking the grouping with achieving tactically significant gains through relatively rapid maneuver," ISW noted.

ISW key takeaways as of July 26

• Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted an ATACMS strike against Saky Airbase in occupied Crimea on the night of July 25 to 26.
• The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) arrested former Russian Deputy Defense Minister Army General Dmitri Bulgakov on corruption charges on July 26 – the latest in a concerted Kremlin effort to remove senior Russian defense officials since April 2024.
• The European Union (EU) transferred the first tranche of proceeds from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine.
• The Kremlin continues intensifying efforts to control Russians' internet activities and to create a culture of self-censorship within Russia.
• Russian security forces reportedly detained several unknown actors threatening to blow up an apartment building in the Republic of Dagestan on July 25.
• Russian forces recently marginally advanced near Svatove, Avdiivka, and Donetsk City.
• The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) reported on July 22 that the Russian intelligence services appear to have further integrated Russian forces' cyber and conventional capabilities.

We will remind you that on July 24, the Ukrainian army completely stopped the assault of the Russian army, numbering approximately one battalion, in the direction of the village of Kostyantynivka, Pokrovsky District. The repulsed attack was one of the largest assaults by Russian mechanized units in the west of the Donetsk region since October 2023.