ISW report

Seizing all of Donetsk Oblast would take years, not weeks — ISW

Seizing the entirety of Donetsk Oblast is likely to be a difficult, years-long campaign for Russian forces rather than the swift advance Russian dictator Vladimir Putin portrays. Moscow’s troops remain unable to achieve operationally significant gains or move faster than the pace of infantry, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in an Aug. 16 assessment.

17 August 2025, 10:13 AM

Putin maintains war aims, denies Ukraine’s sovereignty after Alaska summit — ISW

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin did not soften his military objectives or show any willingness to compromise on Ukraine during his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska, according to an Aug. 15 assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

16 August 2025, 10:35 AM

Kremlin seeks to shift Alaska talks away from Ukraine – ISW

The Kremlin will likely use today’s summit in Alaska to try to divert US attention away from peace talks with Ukraine and toward Russian–U.S. relations, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on Aug. 14.

15 August 2025, 10:28 AM

Russia prepares for renewed assaults in Kherson Oblast

Russia is likely preparing for offensive operations in priority areas of the front line and limited offensive actions in southern Ukraine, particularly in Kherson Oblast, The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on Aug. 13.

14 August 2025, 10:59 AM

Russia struggles to hold gains near Dobropillia — ISW

Russian forces that entered areas east of Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast have yet to bring in enough reinforcements to hold their gains and will likely struggle to do so, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on Aug. 12.

13 August 2025, 09:59 AM

Russia sets narrative to reject Alaska peace deal before Trump-Putin meeting — ISW

In the run-up to Donald Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, Russian officials and state media are laying the groundwork to justify rejecting any future peace deal to end the war. Trump, meanwhile, has signaled that the U.S. will push in those talks to return some of Ukraine’s economically and strategically significant territory, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in its Aug. 11 report.

12 August 2025, 12:22 PM

Russian frontline gains could turn into operational breakthrough — ISW

The next few days — including those leading up to the Alaska summit — may prove decisive for Ukraine’s ability to prevent Russian advance north and northwest of Pokrovsk, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warned in their report on Aug. 11.

12 August 2025, 11:37 AM

Ukrainian strikes force Russia to sideline tank attacks - ISW

The pace of Russian tank losses on the battlefield continues to decline, reaching the lowest levels in June and July 2025 since the war outbreak, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on Aug. 10.

11 August 2025, 02:19 PM

Long-range strikes freeze will aid Russia’s strike capacity — ISW

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin remains uninterested in ending the war against Ukraine, any long-range strikes moratorium will just let Russia stockpile drones and missiles for future attacks, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on Aug. 7.

8 August 2025, 10:00 AM

Putin rules out peace deal that doesn’t match war goals — ISW

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has deliberately created a situation in which any peace deal that falls short of his original war objectives would not appear to be a victory for the Russian people or military, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in an Aug. 5 report.

6 August 2025, 10:32 AM

ISW exposes Russia’s calculated use of Medvedev’s nuclear rhetoric

The Kremlin is deliberately downplaying the role of Security Council Deputy Chair Dmitry Medvedev in Russia’s actual decision-making, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on Aug. 4.

5 August 2025, 10:30 AM

Russia demands Ukraine’s surrender, shows no interest in compromise — ISW

Russia continues to demand Ukraine’s full surrender and has shown no interest in compromising to end the war, according to an Aug. 2 report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

3 August 2025, 10:12 AM

Ukrainian forces advance near Pokrovsk as Russia changes assault tactics — ISW

Ukrainian troops advanced near Pokrovsk as Russian forces pressed on with assaults while shifting their battlefield tactics, the Institute for the Study of War reported in its July 30 update.

31 July 2025, 10:17 AM

Trump’s ultimatum to the Kremlin: ISW doubts Putin will agree to peace without battlefield pressure

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is unlikely to make any concessions toward ending the war against Ukraine unless Ukrainian forces achieve significant victories on the battlefield, according to a July 28 assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

29 July 2025, 10:31 AM

Russia distorts Ukraine protests, spins backlash to NABU law as antiwar unrest — ISW

Kremlin officials and pro-Russian propagandists are attempting to weaponize the protests in Ukraine that erupted after the passage of Law No. 12414 on NABU and SAPO, using them to undermine Ukraine’s legitimacy and discourage Western support, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote in teir July 23 report.

24 July 2025, 10:04 AM

Ukraine, Russia to hold new round of talks in Istanbul, but Kremlin undermines effort — ISW

Ukraine and Russia are scheduled to hold a third round of bilateral negotiations in Istanbul on July 23, but Kremlin officials are already undermining the talks, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote in their July 22 report.

23 July 2025, 10:27 AM

Russian economy is 'overheating' under war pressure - ISW

Russia’s Central Bank is masking long-term instability with short-term fixes, therefore making it vulnerable to Donald Trump’s proposed secondary sanctions, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on July 17.

18 July 2025, 12:27 PM

Russian push toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast will deepen military strain — ISW

Russian forces are unlikely to seize the entire Donetsk Oblast by the end of 2025, and any advance into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast would only exacerbate existing weaknesses in Russia’s military, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in its July 11 assessment.

12 July 2025, 12:45 PM

Russia aims to encircle Pokrovsk, bypass Ukrainian defenses — ISW

In the coming months, Russian forces will likely try to encircle the city of Pokrovsk and bypass Ukraine’s fortified defense line from the west in Donetsk Oblast, according to the Institute for the Study of War’s July 5 assessment.

6 July 2025, 10:22 AM

ISW: U.S. aid freeze likely to accelerate Russian advances in Ukraine

A pause in U.S. military aid to Ukraine will likely accelerate Russian battlefield gains, as it did during past interruptions in American weapons deliveries, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a new assessment on July 2.

3 July 2025, 11:40 AM

ISW report

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