On the market within the mainstream media and inside some political circles within the west, you continue to hear supposedly critical analysts discuss how the conflict in Ukraine ‘is in a stalemate’.
There’s a Cognitive bias often known as ‘anchoring’, through which somebody depends too closely on the primary piece of data they obtain (the ‘anchor’) and struggles to regulate their beliefs even when offered with new, contradictory proof.
That’s precisely what at play right here – individuals utilizing ‘2022-information’ three years later, when it’s out of date.

To start with, it’s true that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has develop into a conflict of attrition, through which territorial features, whereas essential, are second to the work of grinding down the enemies’ troops and tools, until you break down its defenses to the purpose you possibly can conquer it, or it can capitulate.
However that doesn’t imply that Russians haven’t made any progress: simply in Could, they conquered Lysovka, Lipovoye, Kotlyarovka, Mirolyubovka, Mikhaylovka, Torskoye, Novoaleksandrovka, Volnoye Pole, Alexandropol, Bogatyr, Novoolenovka, Maryino, Novaya Poltavka, Radkovka, Otradnoye, Stupochki, Loknya, and Romanovka.
That’s NOT a stalemate.
Alleged footage of Russian Iskander strike on Ukraine’s Chernigov in a single day
Russia’s MoD reviews a surgical hit on Ukraine’s protection business — concentrating on drone, missile, and explosives manufacturing pic.twitter.com/vdbsWmV0GE
— RT (@RT_com) Could 25, 2025
The one purpose why the ‘attrition’ hasn’t but damaged Kiev’s defenses down, bringing a swift finish to the conflict, is as a result of NATO international locations are pouring in unprecedented quantities of army assist – and Ukrainians are catching individuals within the streets ‘like canines’ to forcibly ship them to the conflict.
Watch: Geran drone arrival in Kiev.
Arrival of “Geran” in Kiev. pic.twitter.com/ocWPcJFtQ7
— Intel Slava (@Intel_Slava) Could 25, 2025
Whereas numerous consideration is being paid to the foremost mixed assault on Kiev, Odessa and elsewhere, through which Geranium (Shahed) drones and Iskander missiles are pounding army targets, MSM can’t assist however report on the Russian advances – in their very own crooked manner.
So, when Reuters says that Russian troops are ‘advancing slowly on the japanese entrance’, it’s the ‘anchoring impact’ in play (‘It’s a stalemate!’).
Watch: Large air raid – with UMPK glide bombs – of Ukrainian positions in Volchansk within the Kharkov path.
A Ukrainian quadcopter filmed an enormous bombing of Ukrainian positions in Volchansk within the Kharkov path.
Russian Air Pressure unleashed an enormous air raid with UMPK glide bombs on Ukrainian positions. pic.twitter.com/F6L5ZEW2UT
— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) Could 24, 2025
It’s a drone conflict, and advances are sure to be sluggish, lest you see scenes just like the 2023 Ukrainian summer time offensive, through which lengthy traces of tanks and armored automobiles have been sitting geese for Russian artillery and drones.
Now, the information company reviews, Russians have ‘captured two settlements in Donetsk area in addition to one in Ukraine’s northern area of Sumy’, as they concentrate on finishing the conquest (they might name the ‘liberation’) of the Donetsk and Luhansk areas.
Reuters reported:
“In current months, Moscow has additionally tried to advance in Sumy area, significantly after Russia’s army stated it had ousted Ukrainian troops from the Russian border area of Kursk.
A Russian Protection Ministry assertion stated its forces had captured the village of [Stupochki] in Donetsk area, east of [Konstantinovsky], a city below current Russian strain.
It additionally stated it had taken management of [Otradnoye], a village additional west alongside the 1,000-km entrance and introduced the seize of Loknya, a village […] in Sumy area.”
Intense fight footage captures liberation of Bogatyr
Flag flies over newest DPR village below Russian management https://t.co/i667ilOVai pic.twitter.com/uRpiaVEAml
— RT (@RT_com) Could 18, 2025
As for the much-rumored upcoming Russian summer time offensive, so far as we will inform by Open-Supply Intelligence, it can goal to create a ‘buffer zone’ in Ukraine to forestall strikes on civilian populations.
Intel Slava reported:
“Putin specified for which Russian areas a safety buffer zone might be created.
We’re speaking in regards to the Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod areas, the Russian chief said.
These areas border on the Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv areas of Ukraine.”
“The enemy chooses targets that haven’t any army significance. It targets ambulances, farm equipment, girls and youngsters. Now we have taken a choice to create a buffer zone alongside the border of the Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod areas.”
You didn’t count on anything, did you now. pic.twitter.com/t4natuRrqH
— Margarita Simonyan (@M_Simonyan) Could 22, 2025
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