Despite this, Russia is making slow advances, though with significant losses, commander of the Estonian Defense Forces' (EDF) intelligence center Col. Ants Kiviselg said.

Speaking to ERR, Col. Kiviselg said the most significant event on the Ukrainian front over the past week has been a renewed Russian offensive in the Donetsk oblast.

"For the first time in several months, the armed forces of the Russian Federation conducted a mechanized attack, this time in the direction of Kurakhove, in the Donetsk oblast," Kiviselg said.

"This involved approximately two battalions of materiel and tanks and which, according to current estimates, the Ukrainians managed to repel," he went on.

Russia has not attempted an assault of this kind since May, when its forces launched an offensive on the northern front, from the Belgorod oblast north of the border, and towards Kharkiv.

"However, speaking about the Donetsk region in general, the main efforts by the Russian Federation are focused in that direction, and they are indeed making weekly advances there, be it by dozens or hundreds of meters. So, there is progress from east to west," Kiviselg continued.

The Russians have not yet achieved their summer objectives, while Ukrainian defenses are holding, it appears at present.

Kiviselg said: "It could be that this week's attempt is another desperate effort to press from a flanking direction, and then try to impact the Ukrainian rear, so that in the other battle zones, where active combat is taking place, the Ukrainians are forced to withdraw simply because their supply lines get cut off.

"However, the Russian Federation has not succeeded in this aim either. We certainly don't expect to see Russian units in the area capable of achieving such a breakthrough in the coming weeks," he added.

Some analysts have speculated that Russia's military equipment and resources are running low, meaning that situation on the front next year may turn in Ukraine's favor.

However, Kiviselg said he was less optimistic about the prospects of this happening.

"Yes, I sadly cannot aver that Russia's military supplies will definitely run out in 2025, since they do have partners or allies, including North Korea, or Iran, who can provide them with or send them resources for warfare."

However, Kiviselg added: "Certainly given this current battle tempo and losses rate, it will prove very difficult for the Russian Federation to replenish both personnel and materiel."

Kiviselg noted that June was a period of exceptionally high losses for Russia, at a daily rate of 1,000 to 1,800 casualties.

He stated that sustaining this pace and recruitment level would be relatively difficult under such conditions. However, Kiviselg qualified this.

"Russia's population is large enough that for the time being we cannot see this trend leading to significant changes on the front line," he concluded.

A map of the front in Ukraine updated in real time is here.

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