Western Analysts Say Russia Incapable of Breakthrough as Ukraine War Reaches Turning Point

Military analysts from Ukraine, Russia, and Western countries are increasingly concluding that Russian forces lack the capability to achieve a decisive breakthrough in their ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Russian military commanders reportedly promised President Vladimir Putin they would capture the entire Donbas region by autumn, but experts are calling this goal completely unrealistic given current battlefield conditions. The Donbas, comprising the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, has been a primary objective of Russia's military campaign since the February 2022 invasion, with Moscow seeking to capture territory beyond the portions held by Russian-backed separatists since 2014. Multiple indicators suggest the war's momentum may be shifting in Ukraine's favor, marking what analysts describe as a potential turning point in the 30-month conflict that has reshaped European security and strained global alliances.