ISW: Putin Is Out Of Touch With Reality
1- 3.09.2026, 9:22
- 1,860
Analysts have exposed the Kremlin's lies about its "successes" on the battlefield.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin continues to exaggerate the successes of Russian troops on the front lines, claiming that a Russian military victory in Ukraine is inevitable. However, these statements are completely divorced from reality and do not reflect the situation on the battlefield, according to analysts at Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
For example, on September 1, at a press conference, Putin stated that the capture of the Donetsk region is proceeding according to plan and that in August, Russian troops captured 15 settlements with a total area of 270 square kilometers in the Donetsk region.
However, data from open sources do not corroborate Putin’s claims, analysts note. For example, the ISW estimates that Russian forces captured only 90.35 square kilometers of territory in August 2026, compared to 505.55 square kilometers in August 2025.
At the same time, Ukrainian forces carried out significant counteroffensive operations, liberating at least 129.81 square kilometers in August alone.
“Putin has set at least 15 separate deadlines for Russian forces to capture the entire Donetsk region, none of which Russian forces have met,” the analysts emphasize.
Putin also claimed that the Russian army had captured Svyatogorsk, but this is refuted by all available evidence, according to the ISW. Thus, according to analysts, in late spring/early summer 2026, Russian forces were within 13 kilometers of Svyatogorsk, while the current Russian line of defense lies even further back, given Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive operations near Lyman.
Putin also claimed that his troops had captured Kazachya Lopan north of Kharkiv. Ukrainian officials refuted this claim on September 2. ISW also has data indicating that Russian troops are present in only about 13% of the settlement’s territory.
Putin also falsely claimed that Russian forces had surrounded 13 Ukrainian battalions totaling approximately 5,000 troops on the eastern shore of the Oskil Reservoir.
“ISW has found no evidence of Russian forces in the claimed area, let alone of any encirclement of large Ukrainian forces,” the report notes.
Putin realizes he is out of touch with the current situation on the battlefield
As the ISW notes, the Russian dictator is trying to portray himself as a well-informed leader. Putin stated that he receives information on the course of hostilities from “various sources” and emphasized that his perception of the situation on the battlefield is “entirely objective.”
“Putin’s statement is likely an attempt to present himself to the Russian public as an engaged and knowledgeable military leader. This admission suggests that Putin is aware of the widespread perception that assessments of the situation on the battlefield provided by high-ranking Russian officials are exaggerated,” analysts note.
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