ISW

ISW: Putin frames predetermined Duma vote as referendum on Ukraine war

Russia’s State Duma elections, which begin on Sept. 18, have predetermined results. Dictator Vladimir Putin is framing them as a referendum on support for the war against Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a Sept. 16 report.

17 September, 11:12 AM

ISW: Putin used Trump call to push distorted battlefield picture on Ukraine

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin used a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump on Sept. 8 to try to persuade Trump to accept a distorted view of the battlefield and use it to increase pressure on Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on Sept. 8.

9 September, 11:17 AM

Putin shows no sign of halting strikes during U.S. envoys’ Kyiv visit

Russia is unwilling to guarantee the safety of a U.S. delegation visiting Kyiv this weekend, the Institute for the Study of War said in a Sept. 4 analysis.

5 September, 10:27 AM

Ukrainian drone strikes curb Russia’s Kalibr missile effectiveness — ISW

Ukrainian naval drone strikes are reducing the effectiveness of Russia’s Kalibr missile attacks, the Institute for the Study of War assessed on Sept. 3.

4 September, 11:18 AM

Russian troops make gains near Rodynske in Donetsk Oblast – DeepState

Russian forces advanced near Rodynske in the Pokrovsk district of Ukraine's Donetsk Oblast, the DeepState monitoring group reported on Aug. 30.

30 August, 11:39 AM

Putin sets new unrealistic deadline for Russia to capture all of Donbas – ISW

Vladimir Putin continues to set unrealistic deadlines for Russian forces to seize all of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, none of which have been met, ISW said in its assessment on Aug. 29.

30 August, 10:54 AM

How Russia prepares for possible September mobilization – ISW

Russia's Defense Ministry is preparing to expand access to Russians' personal and medical data ahead of a possible forced mobilization after the September 2026 State Duma elections, ISW reported on Aug. 29.

29 August, 02:47 PM

ISW explains why Russia is intensifying strikes on Ukraine-Moldova border

Russian forces intensified strikes on Ukrainian and Moldovan border infrastructure in August to disrupt Ukraine's overland export routes and create an "atmosphere of instability" at border crossings, ISW said on Aug. 26.

26 August, 11:25 AM

Putin willing to accept Russia's economic hardship as he pursues victory in war of attrition – ISW

Vladimir Putin appears willing to accept growing economic hardship for Russians, including residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg, as he continues to pursue his "theory of victory" in Ukraine, ISW said on Aug. 22.

23 August, 03:41 PM

Kremlin not interested in peace talks as Putin maintains maximalist war goals – ISW

A senior Russian official has confirmed the Kremlin's unwillingness to engage in meaningful negotiations to end its war against Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War said in its Aug. 21 assessment.

22 August, 12:19 PM

Wildberries attacks force Kremlin to stretch air defenses across Moscow Oblast

Ukraine’s intensified strikes on Wildberries facilities in Russia could place further pressure on the country’s already overstretched air defenses and increasingly inconvenience Russians who use the platform, the Institute for the Study of War said in a report.

25 July, 11:35 AM

Russian ship numbers in the Sea of Azov may have halved since July – ISW

Russian-flagged vessels operating with active Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders in the Sea of Azov may have dropped by 55% between June 30 and July 11, according to Starboard Maritime Intelligence data cited by the Institute for the Study of War in a report released on July 12.

12 July, 03:00 PM

Russia is increasing use of jet-powered Shahed drones – Flash

Russia is increasingly using jet-powered Shahed drones to attack Ukrainian rear cities, reflecting a tactical shift predicted a year ago, Ukrainian Defense Ministry adviser Serhii Beskrestnov (Flash) said on July 6.

6 July, 06:07 PM

DeepState explains why Russia's ceasefire proposal for Kostiantynivka is a trap

Analysts at DeepState said a Russian Defense Ministry proposal for a ceasefire in the embattled city of Kostiantynivka is aimed at advancing Moscow's military objectives rather than ending hostilities, warning it could conceal a broader tactical plan on July 6.

6 July, 11:24 AM

ISW rejects Putin's claims of major Russian battlefield gains in Ukraine

Vladimir Putin used a staged meeting with military commanders to exaggerate Russia's battlefield gains and promote a narrative of continuous military success that does not reflect conditions on the front, the Institute for the Study of War said on July 5.

5 July, 09:15 AM

ISW rebuts Putin’s claims of sweeping Russian gains across Ukraine front

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin made another series of sharply exaggerated claims about Russian troop advances in Ukraine in a recent interview with propagandist Pavel Zarubin, statements that do not match battlefield realities — including around Kostiantynivka, Dobropillya and Kupyansk.

30 June, 12:25 PM

Russia will use Moscow drone attacks to justify massive strikes on Ukraine, ISW says

The Kremlin has begun laying the information groundwork to continue and intensify its strikes on Ukraine after a record drone attack on Moscow on June 18, the Institute for the Study of War said in its June 19 report.

20 June, 11:36 AM

Ukrainian strikes exposed weaknesses in Moscow's air defenses – ISW

Ukrainian strikes on Moscow exposed vulnerabilities in Russia's air defense system, while pro-war Russian military bloggers openly criticized censorship and authorities' failure to protect civilians from the consequences of the war, the Institute for the Study of War said on June 19.

19 June, 10:57 AM

Putin struck Kyiv to mask Moscow's failure to protect itself – ISW

Russia's massive missile and drone attack on Kyiv and several other major Ukrainian cities on June 15 was likely aimed at breaking Ukraine's will to fight and masking the Kremlin's own weaknesses, the Institute for the Study of War said in its latest assessment on June 16.

16 June, 10:38 AM

Putin expands Russian army, but ISW sees no impact on Ukraine battlefield

A decree signed by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to expand Russia’s armed forces as part of ongoing military reforms will not affect the battlefield situation in Ukraine, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War said in a June 13 report.

14 June, 02:26 PM

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