Russia has shown no indication of winding down its invasion of Ukraine, now entering its fourth year. According to Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, approximately 695,000 Russian troops are stationed along the front, with another 121,000 in strategic reserve. Moscow continues to mobilize about 9,000 troops monthly, highlighting its strategy of attritional warfare.

“They are preparing for a protracted war, a war of attrition,” Syrskyi told reporters in Kyiv. “They want to pressure us with their human resources and exhaust us with their mass.”

Ukraine Prepares Counterstrikes and Deep Attacks

While Russian President Vladimir Putin recently claimed he isn’t seeking Ukraine’s capitulation, Syrskyi stressed that defending alone is not sustainable. “Of course, we will not simply remain on the full defensive,” he said, suggesting new Ukrainian counteroffensives may be in the works, though without elaborating.

He confirmed deep strikes into Russian territory would continue and expand in range and frequency: “Such attacks are our most efficient way to inflict military damage on Russia.”

Kursk Incursion and the Sumy Front

Syrskyi also acknowledged Ukrainian troops maintain a foothold inside Russia’s Kursk region, controlling 90 square kilometers of Glushkovskyi district — a holdover from last summer’s cross-border offensive. He described this as a preemptive move to force Russian troop redeployments and limit their gains in eastern Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine claims to have stabilized Russia’s offensive in Sumy, where Kremlin forces number roughly 50,000. President Putin has characterized the operation there as aimed at establishing a 10–12 km buffer zone, though he added cryptically, “we do not rule [taking Sumy] out.”

Zelenskiy Reorganizes Ground Forces

In response to intensifying Russian pressure and a 200 km expansion of the front, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday appointed Brigadier General Hennadii Shapovalov as the new ground forces commander. Troop shortages and defensive overstretch are expected to be top priorities.

As of mid-June, Ukraine repelled 171 clashes in just 24 hours, a testament to the conflict’s current intensity.

Despite diplomatic efforts since March to push for a ceasefire — including limited pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump — Ukraine continues to reject any settlement that accepts “realities on the ground,” as proposed by Putin. With deep attacks on Russian soil and defensive operations extending into Russian territory, Ukraine signals it’s far from ready to concede or freeze the war.