Russia's 2025 Offensive is Failing. Why?

Was that really it? For our money, that's the only question we're asking, as Russia's summer offensive of 2025 begins to wind down. Launched with much fanfare in May at a moment when Ukraine was at its weakest point since early 2022, the offensive was predicted to make major inroads against an opponent suffering from severe manpower shortages.

Putin himself declared before things got underway that, quoting him here, "There are reasons to believe we can finish off Ukraine 's armed forces." Well, five months later and that has yet to happen. Not only is Kiev's army still standing, but it has managed to blunt the Russian advance.

And while Moscow's forces have made gains, and may yet manage to take the strategic city of Prokrosk, their advances have been small and have come at tremendous cost.