Key facts
- Russia is intensifying air attacks on major Ukrainian cities.
- These air attacks are intended to mask slowing battlefield gains.
- Analysts note shrinking industrial capacity and dwindling weaponry in Russia.
- Slow Russian progress threatens their leverage in future peace talks.
Russia is reportedly intensifying its air attacks on major Ukrainian cities as a strategy to mask its slowing battlefield gains and sustain its war effort, according to researchers. Despite some recent advances in the Donetsk region, the overall slow pace of Russian progress is seen as a threat to their leverage in any future peace negotiations. Analysts point to shrinking industrial capacity and dwindling weaponry, exacerbated by Western sanctions, as key factors contributing to these challenges.