Russian President Vladimir Putin was unable to boast of any military successes during this year’s 9 May parade in Moscow, as the Russian army has not achieved any of its goals in Ukraine over the past year. This is stated in a new report by the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrinform reports.
ISW analysts note that Putin barely mentioned the war against Ukraine, only stating in general terms that “all of Russia supports” its troops. According to the report, after the capture of Avdiivka in February 2024, Russian troops were unable to advance further. Pokrovsk, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, or the territories of Luhansk region, which the Kremlin had dreamed of on Victory Day, were not taken.
The key role in deterring the enemy was played by Ukrainian drones, long-range strikes on Russian rear targets and the effective integration of the latest technologies in cooperation with ground forces. This slowed down or completely stopped Russian offensive operations. According to ISW, military assistance from Western countries played a significant role in this.
A separate mention is made of the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region in August 2024, which forced the Russian command to redeploy reserves from other areas. ISW calls the situation in the Kursk region the only tactical “success” of the Russian army over the past year.
Notably, during the parade, Putin thanked North Korea’s military for its participation in the war – another sign of Moscow’s growing international isolation.
