The advancement of Russians in Ukraine has slowed down - WSJ.

The advancement of Russian occupiers in Ukraine has slowed down - news source The Wall Street Journal

According to the publication The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the progress of Russian occupiers in Ukraine has changed. Both sides are in a difficult situation. The Russian Federation desires a favorable deal at negotiations, in exchange for their successes on the battlefield, while Ukraine demonstrates its strength against Russia. The DeepState project reports that it took the Russians about six days to occupy Ukrainian territory the size of Manhattan. However, the progress of Russian troops has slowed even further in February. Russia has suffered losses due to minor successes in occupying territory, which has led to a tough struggle expected this year.

The slowdown on the Russian side may be due to growing exhaustion. According to a high-ranking US military official, Russia has concentrated tens of thousands of soldiers in a small area and is advancing at the expense of numerical superiority, which creates easy prey for Ukrainian troops. Even a small counterattack from Ukraine turned the village against the occupying forces. The main goal of Russia is to eliminate Ukrainian military positions in the Kursk region, but Ukrainian authorities are trying to keep them as a bargaining chip in negotiations. However, critics of this approach point out that it draws troops that are greatly needed on the front line.

The Wall Street Journal conducted an analysis of the situation with Russia's tanks. Over three years of war, the Russian Federation has lost almost half of its tank and armored vehicle arsenal, many of which are outdated models in poor condition. At the current pace, by the end of the year, Russia will face a critical shortage of combat tanks and armored personnel carriers. However, Russia's partners, including North Korea, may provide their armored vehicles from their stockpiles to assist.

The village of Pishchane, located south of Pokrovsk, has been liberated from Russian occupiers. During the operation, more than 80 enemy fighters from the 74th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Russian Federation were destroyed. The Armed Forces of Ukraine also suffered losses, but they were smaller than those of the Russians. The fighters of the 68th Separate Jaeger Brigade named after Oleksa Dovbush carried out a provocative operation on one of the most intense sections of the front.

Also, the Russians in the Pokrovsk direction lack resources to implement the tactics of direct attacks. This was reported by Major Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for the operational-strategic grouping of troops 'Khortytsia'.