The advance of Russian troops in Ukraine this year is significantly slower than last year, and there are currently no signs of sharp changes on the front, stated Major Janis Slaidins, an officer of the National Guard, in the program "900 Seconds" on TV3.
Slaidins emphasized in an interview with TV3 that Russia's ability to achieve its goals is limited, although the enemy should not be underestimated.
Describing the situation on the front, Slaidins referred to the statistics of occupied territories. He noted that at the beginning of this year, the amount of territory captured by Russia is significantly less than last year, when about 500 square kilometers were occupied monthly.
"These are figures that cannot be disputed," said the major. He compared Russia's attacks to an attempt to "gnaw on hard cookies with a toothless mouth," explaining that the advancing forces are currently using small groups, drones, and the so-called "tactic of a thousand cuts," trying to find weak points in Ukraine's defense.
According to Slaidins, there are no grounds to expect a major Russian offensive in the near future, as resources are limited and the main combat operations are concentrated on specific sections of the front.
At the same time, Ukraine continues to strike military and economic targets on Russian territory, including oil refineries and warehouses. "This has significantly affected Russia's oil exports," he emphasized.
For his part, the major assessed the talks about peace negotiations skeptically, calling them a "game of cat and mouse" and adding that "combat operations will continue even during negotiations."
