FT: Putin's Offensive Plans Have Been Undermined
1- 10.02.2026, 12:51
- 4,146
Moscow is no longer capable of realizing strategic tasks.
Losses of the Russian army on the frontline in Ukraine have reached such a scale that it is increasingly affecting Moscow's ability to realize the strategic objectives set by Vladimir Putin. This is reported by Financial Times, citing Ukrainian and Western officials and military experts.
Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment Michael Kofman, notes that Russian troops are stuck in an approach that gives them no chance of a significant breakthrough. He emphasizes: Putin expects that constant pressure along a broad front line will eventually exhaust Ukraine, but the way Russian forces are fighting is incapable of producing notable operational successes.
The advance is measured in tens of meters
Analysts cited by the publication estimate the pace of the Russian offensive in key areas at 15-70 meters per day, a rate that is among the lowest in modern military history. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) report emphasizes that such a pace is slower than in most conflicts over the last century.
Russia's total losses, according to experts, have already exceeded 325,000 dead.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said last week that between 30,000 and 35,000 Russian soldiers are killed or seriously wounded every month.
Desertion and forced assaults
Ukrainian think tank Frontelligence Insight has recorded record levels of desertion in Russian units. Its head, a former Ukrainian officer, attributes this to commanders throwing troops into attacks without regard for casualties:
"They spend their resources beyond reason, resulting in losses that are often avoidable," he said.
Drones are changing the rules of the game
A separate factor dramatically increasing the number of killed and wounded is the massive use of drones. According to Latvian intelligence, drones cause up to 70-80% of all casualties on both sides.
A former Ukrainian officer explains that even a wounded fighter becomes almost doomed: "A wounded soldier can quickly become a liability when dozens of drones are constantly watching or attacking, and evacuation remains extremely risky."
Mobilization resource is melting away
Although Russia is formally meeting its recruitment target of about 35,000 men each month, most recruits are just covering losses. Kofman believes this is indicative of systemic problems: "Recruitment trends increasingly tell us that Russia will find it difficult to sustain offensive pressure."
Financial incentives have so far allowed the Kremlin to maintain the necessary number of military personnel, but analysts say this system has natural limits. Kofman explains that sooner or later the pool of those willing to fight for the money will simply run out.
The Price of Russian Advancement: military expert's assessment
According to military analyst Alexander Kovalenko, during the week of January 2026, Russian forces were able to advance only a small area of about 48 square kilometers, one of the lowest rates in recent times.
At the same time, the expert notes, the losses of the Russian army for the period amounted to about 6,930 people. Thus, for every square kilometer of captured territory there are on average about 140-150 killed and wounded Russian servicemen.
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