Amid the talks, Russia has opened new fronts and intensified its offensive

While negotiations are being discussed between Ukraine and Russia to end the conflict, dramatic changes are being observed on the front. According to The New York Times, Russia is simultaneously conducting diplomatic processes and military operations in parallel. Despite the change in weather conditions for the better, the Russian army has intensified its offensive after the spring "calm".

Russia opens a two-pronged front

According to the American publication, the Russian Armed Forces have simultaneously launched active operations in the Donetsk region and northern Ukraine. On the Donetsk front, the Russian army has broken through the Ukrainian defense line between the cities of Pokrovsk and Toretsk and is currently continuing its movements to the north. This is where the last logistics centers of the Ukrainian army are located.

These actions, according to military analysts, signal the beginning of a large-scale operation to completely capture the Donetsk region. According to the OSINT DeepState analysis project, in May the Russian army occupied an average of 14 square kilometers of territory per day. This is twice as much as in April.

A new threat in the Sumy region - Ukrainian troops are on the move

The Russian army has also intensified its activities in the northern Sumy region in recent days. The Russians are moving deeper into Ukrainian territory, forcing the Ukrainian army to redeploy thousands of soldiers to this part of the front. This weakens its defense capabilities in the Donbass.

These actions are due to the demand of Russian President Vladimir Putin to create a "buffer zone". He aimed to protect the Kursk and Belgorod regions from possible raids by Ukraine.

A 50,000-strong airborne force has been massed near Kharkov

The article notes that Russia has been accumulating military equipment, improving its communications system and modernizing its drones over the winter. A special group of 50,000 elite paratroopers has also been assembled near Kharkov. These forces may be used for new attacks.

Negotiations are hopeless, the West is preparing for a long war

Meanwhile, the next round of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul has ended without results. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed this, urging European countries to “prepare for a long war.”

At the same time, US President Donald Trump announced that Washington would make a decision on the direction of the Ukrainian conflict in the next 1.5-2 weeks. According to him, this decision will depend on Russia’s future actions.

While the Russian side is militarily active, peace talks are lagging behind politically. Moscow’s intensification of attacks and simultaneous negotiations are a sign of a two-front strategy. As the situation in Donbass and Sumy escalates, Ukraine's defense and Western support will become even more important.

While military analysts do not expect decisive victories this summer, developments on each front could have a significant impact on the overall situation.

Photo: Reuters