ISW report Ukraine

Putin uses mass Kyiv strike to hide battlefield failures and parade humiliation — ISW

Russian forces carried out a massive strike on Kyiv on June 2 to exploit Ukraine's Patriot missile shortage and distract from their battlefield failures and inability to protect the rear, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on June 2.

3 June, 10:53 AM

Ukrainian strikes neutralize Russia's manpower superiority — ISW

Ukraine's successful drone strikes against Russian mid-range and frontline logistics limits Moscow's ability to transport and supply troops, undermining Russian mobilization efforts, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on May 27.

28 May, 11:23 AM

Ukrainian systemic UAV strikes degrade Russian combat capabilities - ISW

Ukrainian forces are degrading Russia's combat capabilities and complicating its preparations for a 2026 offensive with systemic drone strikes on artillery, logistics, and air defenses, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on March 19.

20 March, 10:28 AM

Ukraine's drone swarms systematically dismantle Russian frontline logistics — ISW

Ukraine is intensifying middle-range strikes campaign across the entire combat zone against Russian logistics, military equipment, and manpower, likely to hinder its 2026 offensive, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on March 10.

11 March, 12:10 PM

Pokrovsk has likely fallen, yet Russian momentum stalls — ISW

Russian forces have likely seized Pokrovsk in recent weeks — though the hollow victory has failed to yield the operational breakthrough the Kremlin desperately craved, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on Feb. 25.

26 February, 11:38 AM

Putin's endgame is total capitulation, not new elections in Ukraine

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will not be satisfied with territorial concessions or new elections in Ukraine, aiming instead for complete capitulation and a puppet regime, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on Feb. 19.

20 February, 10:06 AM

Gerasimov falsely claims capture of Kupyansk Vuzlovyi, 10 km from Russian lines

Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov has claimed that Russian forces captured the settlement of Kupyansk Vuzlovyi in Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast — even though open-source analysts say Russian troops haven’t come close, according to Agentstvo.News.

27 January, 12:37 PM

ISW: Russian army unable to build reserves, struggles to expand offensive

Russia is currently unable to form a strategic reserve and will therefore be forced to advance slowly and at high cost along the front lines next year, according to a Dec. 27 assessment by analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

28 December 2025, 04:20 PM

ISW reports no confirmed Russian gains in renewed Sumy region offensive

Russian forces continued offensive operations in northern Ukraine’s Sumy region on Dec. 20 but made no confirmed territorial gains, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

21 December 2025, 10:29 AM

Russia seizes less than 1% of Ukraine in 2025 — ISW

Russian invading forces have seized just 0.77% of Ukraine’s territory over the past year — while suffering disproportionately high losses, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on Dec. 9.

10 December 2025, 09:47 AM

Russia’s ‘breakthrough’ near Hulyaipole comes from massed troops

Russia’s “tactical breakthrough” near Hulyaipole is the result of a long-term troops buildup and the redeployment of units from other sectors, rather than any failure of Ukrainian defense, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on Dec. 3.

4 December 2025, 11:44 AM

Ceding Donbas to Russia would bolster its offensive position — ISW analysis

Russia’s demand for full control of the Donbas would give Moscow a stronger foothold for renewed aggression against Ukraine whenever it sees fit, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warned in their Oct. 19 assessment.

20 October 2025, 10:26 AM

Ukrainian forces encircle Russian units near Dobropillia in Donetsk

Russian units near Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast have been cut off and are being encircled, Ukrainian military spokesman Viktor Tregubov said on national TV.

30 August 2025, 05:23 PM

ISW: Russia can’t quickly seize Donetsk without Ukraine troop withdrawal

Russia could only occupy the rest of Donetsk Oblast quickly if Ukraine agreed to Vladimir Putin’s demand to withdraw its forces, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in its Aug. 17 report.

18 August 2025, 05:32 PM

ISW report Ukraine