Skip to main content

Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

Russian troops are continuing to make advancements in eastern Ukraine as President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are reportedly engaged in discussions about ending the war.

Russia’s advancements: In the last two weeks, Russian troops have made significant advancements in eastern Ukraine, tightening their grip on key strategic locations and supply routes. According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russia has shifted its tactics, attacking Ukrainian flanks rather than engaging in direct assaults. One major setback for Ukraine was the capture of Velyka Novosilka, which has made Ukraine’s supply lines in the area a total shit show. Russia achieved this after launching an unusual assault with up to 10 armored columns, overwhelming Ukrainian troops. Key highways, including the Pokrovsk-Pavlohrad-Dnipro route, are now largely under Russian control, restricting Ukrainian movement and resupply efforts. As a result, Ukrainian forces are increasingly outnumbered, struggling to hold defensive lines with limited reserves. In addition to all of this, Ukraine is now, for the first time, creating defensive lines in the Dnipropetrovsk region (they haven’t done this since 2022).

Ukraine

Ukraine going for Russia’s oil: Despite losing some ground, Ukraine has been a major pain in the ass for Russia’s oil industry, relentlessly targeting refineries and gas-processing plants with drone strikes over the last month and a half. Key targets have included Lukoil’s Volgograd refinery, a major facility producing 300,000 barrels of oil per day, and Gazprom’s Astrakhan gas-processing plant, which refines 12 billion cubic meters of gas annually into critical fuel supplies. These strikes have caused fires, damaged crucial crude-processing units, and forced temporary shutdowns, disrupting Russia’s ability to refine and distribute fuel. It’s evident that part of Ukraine’s strategy is to weaken Russia’s economy and strain its wartime logistics despite Russia being a powerhouse for oil production.

This all comes as President Donald Trump is actively pushing for a deal to end the war in Ukraine, with his administration reportedly working on a “100-day peace plan” aimed at brokering negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow. While Trump has not confirmed whether he has personally spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he has stated that “very serious discussions” are already underway to bring the war to an end.

Trump’s administration has openly signaled that both Ukraine and Russia may need to make concessions. Last week, Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, suggested that territorial compromises could be part of a negotiated settlement.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Keep up to date with our latest videos, news and content