A new advance of Russian troops in Ukraine. The village of Zapadné, in the Kharkiv region, is now under Russian control according to Moscow. A sign of the growing difficulties of the Ukrainian army in containing the enemy on the eastern front. What does this new development mean for the evolution of the conflict?
As the war in Ukraine enters its 17th month, Russian troops continue their advance in the east of the country. Latest locality claimed by Moscow: the village of Zapadné, in the Kharkiv region. An advance which highlights kyiv’s growing difficulties in containing the enemy on this front.
Zapadné, new strategic capture for Russia
Located on the western bank of the Oskil River in northeastern Ukraine, the village of Zapadne was until now in the hands of Ukrainian forces. But according to a press release from the Russian Ministry of Defense published this Wednesday, January 21, Russian units finally succeeded in seizing it.
A strategic move for Moscow, which seeks to consolidate its positions in this border region. The Oskil River had until then constituted a natural front line, which the Ukrainian troops were trying to hold.
New territorial gains for Russia
This Russian advance at Zapadne is not an isolated case. Moscow has indeed claimed territorial gains in several sectors of eastern Ukraine in recent weeks. A sign that despite deliveries of Western weapons, the Ukrainian army is struggling to stem enemy progress.
Russian forces are eating away at ground, meter by meter. A war of attrition has set in, and Ukraine is struggling to hold on over time.
According to a Western military source
kyiv under pressure on the eastern front
Faced with this growing Russian pressure, the Ukrainian authorities are trying to keep face. President Volodymyr Zelensky thus assured that his troops would counterattack and regain lost ground as soon as possible.
But on the ground, the situation seems increasingly complicated for kyiv. Beyond the Kharkiv region, the Russians are also intensifying their assaults in Donbass, particularly around the strategic towns of Bakhmout and Avdiïvka.
-A war of attrition that is getting bogged down
More than a year after the start of the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian conflict is increasingly looking like a war of attrition. Despite their numerical and material superiority, Moscow’s forces are struggling to achieve a decisive breakthrough. But facing them, the Ukrainian troops, tested by months of fierce fighting, are having difficulty holding their positions on all fronts.
In this context, each village, each hill, each meter of conquered land takes on symbolic and strategic importance. The capture of Zapadné by the Russians is the latest example. A tactical success which illustrates how the conflict has become bogged down in a bloody and endless war of positions.
What impact on the course of the war?
It is difficult for the moment to measure the impact that the fall of Zapadné will have on the overall evolution of the conflict. Of course, this is a setback for Ukraine and a success for Russia. But in a war this vast and complex, the fate of one village will not be enough to tip the scales one way or the other.
Nevertheless, this Russian advance confirms certain trends observed in recent weeks:
- A renewed activity of Russian forces on certain segments of the eastern front
- A certain wear and tear of the Ukrainian troops, forced to defend a very extensive front
- Moscow’s desire to gain ground, even in a limited way, to maintain pressure
So many elements which suggest that the war in Ukraine is still far from over. Despite kyiv’s hopes of a counter-offensive to reconquer lost territories, the conflict promises to be long and trying for both camps.
A diplomatic outcome still distant
In this context, the prospects for a diplomatic resolution of the conflict seem very slim for the moment. As long as Russia continues to gain ground and Ukraine refuses any compromise on its territorial integrity, it seems difficult to envisage serious negotiations.
The only certainty: each new Russian advance, even limited as at Zapadné, further removes the chances of a future peace in Ukraine. And pushes the country into a spiral of violence and destruction with unpredictable consequences.
Related News :