**Russia’s Summer Offensive Falls Short of Expectations, Says Zelensky**
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that Russia’s ongoing summer offensive has not reached the Kremlin’s expectations. Despite Moscow’s efforts to advance deeper into eastern Donetsk Oblast and carve out a buffer zone in northeastern Sumy Oblast, Ukrainian troops have continued to thwart Russian attacks.
According to Zelensky, Ukraine’s forces have successfully defended against multiple attempts by the Russian army to gain ground. The President attributed this success to the resilience of Ukrainian units and active defense strategies. He also claimed that Russia has fallen far short of its command’s expectations for the summer campaign.
Russia launched its new offensive in May, aiming to advance into eastern Donetsk Oblast and establish a foothold in northeastern Sumy Oblast. However, Kyiv has reported success in holding off a Russian advance into Sumy Oblast. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated last month that the Russian offensive is “faltering,” with Ukrainian forces allegedly pinning down around 50,000 Russian troops.
While Russia continues to make marginal gains in capturing more Ukrainian territory, Kyiv has repeatedly denied Moscow’s claims of gaining a foothold in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Ukraine’s military is preparing new long-range strikes and expects additional shipments of long-range weapons from Germany by the end of the month.
The Economist has reported that roughly 31,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in the summer offensive so far, compared to estimated 190,000-350,000 deaths and up to 1.3 million overall Russian casualties during the entire full-scale war.
**Aerial Assaults Increase Ukrainian Challenges**
As Russia continues its assault along the front line, Ukraine faces increased challenges from aerial assaults on its cities. Moscow has launched over 700 drones some nights, adding pressure on Ukrainian defenses.
**US President Trump Anticipates Major Announcement on Russia**
US President Donald Trump is expected to make a major announcement on Russia on July 14. The announcement may include additional weaponry and new funding for Ukraine – the first such support since Trump took office in January.
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