Once again military actions were relatively limited yesterday. Struggling with a recurring recruitment problem and staff that are sometimes demotivated or ill-prepared, the Russian troops seem to be bogged down.

Director of US Intelligence Avril Haines says that the Russian president would now bet on a loss of Western support, suggesting at the same time that a long conflict is envisaged.

For now, the strategy of the last few days remains unchanged.

Attacks on Izium, Kharkiv and Donetsk continue with the hope of encircling and isolating the Ukrainian resistance.

While the troops are busy, Russian leaders are now reportedly considering merging Donetsk and Luhansk into a single entity called the “Republic of Donbass”.

Elsewhere on the territory, there are new Russian efforts to overcome the resistance of the soldiers holed up in the Azovstal complex.

New Assaults Coming Soon

Further assaults are also expected in the Kherson region, mainly to prevent the movement of Ukrainian troops and reduce the risk of counterattacks.

While Odessa still faces salvoes of missiles coming from Crimea, American intelligence seems convinced that Russia does not have sufficient means to inflict severe damage.

8 million displaced

While Ukraine enjoys Western support, including the recent reactivation of Lend-Lease by the United States, the death toll and refugee figures continue to climb.

The UN now estimates that more than 8 million have been displaced since the start of the invasion.