Since May 2025, Russia has increased the pace of its military offensive in Ukraine. According to data from the Ukrainian analysis group Deep State, the average daily Russian assaults increased from 155 in April to 184 in May, an increase of 19 %. On June 11, the Ukrainian staff counted 220 assaults, a sign that the Russian effort continues to grow.
Territorial gains followed. In May, the Russian army won 449 km² in Ukraine, against 177 km² in April, or 2.5 times more land won in a month. On the scale of this country larger than France, the Russian invasion remains very slow, especially with regard to heavy human and material losses suffered by the Russian armed forces (FAR).
The offensive is favored by the summer continental climate: the soil is hard, facilitating motorized assaults, while the vegetation helps the attackers to hide. The FAR launched large land operations every summer, except in 2023, where the Ukrainian armed forces had taken – without success – the initiative.
Hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers
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Source: Lemonde