Part 7/17:
In a detailed assessment, Dr. Carolina Herd, Deputy Team Lead at the Institute for the Study of War, provided insights into the battlefield situation. As of late May, Ukraine faces a tough reality: Russia is executing offensive operations in the northeast, trying to draw Ukrainian forces away from critical regions, particularly around the Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk areas.
Herd explains that Western restrictions—particularly those preventing Ukraine from striking Russian territory—have inadvertently allowed Russia to consolidate and prepare for its counteroffensive. The delays in aid and limitations on target selection are giving Russian forces room to manoeuvre, prolonging the conflict and straining Ukrainian manpower, equipment, and morale.