The Failure of Russia’s Offensive Strategy

After months of deploying troops to eastern Ukraine, Russia has only managed to capture three small settlements and part of the city of Bakhmut, which has limited strategic value.

Settlements captured by Russia this year

A grid of the cities that Russia has taken this year so far

Compared to what Moscow had hoped to achieve from its winter offensive by now, which was to seize the entire Donbas region, the progress is minimal. The Donbas region contains dozens more settlements, some of them much larger than Bakhmut. To achieve their goal, Russia would have to recreate and win battles at the scale of Bakhmut repeatedly.

Settlements in the Donbas still controlled by Ukraine

A grid of the cities Ukraine still controls in the Donbas

Just 30 miles northwest