Russian pro-war channels have largely stopped highlighting alleged advances along the front and instead list Ukrainian cities struck by drones and missiles, while Ukrainian soldiers report continued ground attacks. The shift comes as Russian forces appear to be making little progress at a high cost, according to a Russian military-focused Telegram channel.
The change in coverage does not mean Russia has stopped attacking on the ground. But the emphasis on air strikes has fueled concern that President Vladimir Putin’s strategy is to pressure Ukraine into surrender by making life in its cities unbearable.
“ The week at the front was marked by trench warfare and a struggle over logistics. Significantly, the Russian defence ministry’s weekly summary did not report the capture of any populated area,” the Telegram channel Two Majors wrote on Sunday.
Until recently, the Kremlin issued daily claims of territorial gains, sometimes without clear supporting evidence. Some reports relied on “flag operations,” in which individuals were filmed by a drone raising a flag before they were killed or captured soon afterward.
Two Majors suggested cold weather could be complicating combat operations. It also raised another possibility: Russian commanders may be quietly reassessing the front line after receiving too many false reports of success from troops in the field. The channel’s account did not suggest the Russian offensive had halted.
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