On Friday, Col. Mart Vendla, deputy chief of operations at the EDF Headquarters, gave an overview of recent developments in the Ukraine war.

Russia has not let up general offensive pressure and is trying to hold on to the initiative for as long as the window of opportunity stays open, Vendla said, adding that despite everything, Russian armed forces have not found much success in recent weeks.

The fighting is fiercest in the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. "Russian forces have dialed back pressure on Kharkiv and are concentrating on creating a buffer zone in the northern part of the settlement of Vovchansk," Vendla suggested.

Ukraine is trying to retake the initiative on the Kharkiv front by counterattacking, while Russia keeps moving new troops into the region to hold its positions and create the premise for offensive operations elsewhere should the need arise, the colonel said.

The center of gravity of the fighting is in the Donetsk area where the Russian offensive remains intensive. "They [Russians] have managed to expand the territory they control through limited tactical advances."

Battle activity is concentrated in the Ocheretyne area and around the Karlovsky reservoir in Pervomaisk, as well as to put pressure on Chasiv Yar. "Despite considerable offensive pushes, Ukraine's defensive efforts have been relatively successful, and Russian forces have not achieved a single major operational goal there," Vendla noted.

There has been no change in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in the south. Ukraine is also holding on to its bridgehead on the other side of the Dnipro.

The Russian Federation has continued artillery strikes near the border, as well as cruise missile and drone strikes deeper in Ukraine, hitting major settlements and energy infrastructure. "Ukraine is also keeping up deep strikes, targeting Russia's early warning and air defense systems in Crimea and Russia," Vendla said.

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