Ukraine Maps Reveal Russian Advances Along Front Line

Russian forces have advanced in Ukraine's Donetsk oblast and continued engagements across the entire front line, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

One of the independent think tank's maps outlined its assessment that Russian forces made confirmed gains near Kreminna, Bakhmut, and Avdiivka. They had taken Lastochkyne, west of the Donetsk city that was captured by Moscow after a fierce fight for months.

Geolocated footage published Monday shows Russian forces had entered the southeastern part of Sieverne, to the west of Avdiivka. Russian milbloggers have said it is completely captured, along with nearby Tonenke, although the ISW has not observed visual confirmation of this. Newsweek has yet to verify these claims.

Another ISW map shows the situation around Bakhmut, also in the Donetsk oblast, with indicated geolocated footage displaying Russian advances on the eastern outskirts of Ivanivske, south of the city.

Other maps showed Russian advances towards Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia oblast further south and gains towards Krynky in the Kherson region. Newsweek has emailed the Ukrainian Defense Ministry for comment.

Recent battlefield gains by Moscow have prompted the ISW think tank to conclude that Moscow's forces have regained "theater-wide initiative" and will be able to pursue offensive operations this year where they choose, as long as they hold the upper hand.

Ukraine could deny Russian forces such a chance through their own offensive campaigns. However, this requires having enough means to mount another counteroffensive, the ISW said, as Kyiv faces widespread ammunition shortages.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Russia was preparing another offensive in spring or the start of the summer, telling a forum in Kyiv, "we will be preparing for the battle."

However, Kyiv was able to boast on Tuesday of its latest headline-grabbing incident, saying that its forces had shot down another Russian aircraft.

Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said that the Russian Su-34 fighter jet was targeted on the eastern front in a reported incident. It follows the downing of two A-50 early warning and control aircraft worth $300 million in the past two months.

"Yesterday, Russian pilots managed to evade our missiles, but this will not always be the case!" Oleshchuk posted on Telegram.

Meanwhile, after a meeting of world leaders in Paris on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron said the possibility of sending Western troops on the ground in Ukraine has not been ruled out. While so far there was "no consensus" for such a move, Macron added that "we will do everything needed so Russia cannot win the war."

Overnight on Monday, Ukrainian forces shot down 11 of the 13 "kamikaze" attack drones and two of the four Kh-59 cruise missiles launched by Russia overnight from occupied parts of Donetsk and Kherson regions, according to Ukraine's Air Force. Newsweek has yet to verify this tally.