Russia’s summer offensive in Ukraine collapsed — with a loud crash
Most of Putin’s goals fizzled out, Bild military analyst Julian Röpcke writes. Judge for yourself:
Pokrovsk was supposed to fall — but after a brief breakthrough in August, Russian troops were either killed or captured within three weeks.
The plan for a 600-kilometer “buffer zone” in Chernihiv, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions failed. Moscow controls less than 70 km along the border.
In the south — Kherson and Zaporizhzhia — the front lines haven’t moved.
In three months Russia gained just 1,800 km2 — about 0.3% of Ukraine’s territory. Far from what Putin dreamed of.
Meanwhile, Ukraine keeps striking deep into Russia, knocking out 17% of refinery capacity. Fuel is vanishing and prices are soaring — soon they’ll be riding horse carts.