Ukraine braces for renewed offensive as peace talks stall

Fighting intensifies across eastern front as Moscow targets key Donetsk cities

KYIV:

Ukraine is preparing to withstand a renewed Russian spring offensive along the eastern front as stalled US-backed peace talks coincide with intensifying battlefield pressure, shifting international attention and mounting logistical strain on both sides of the war.

Russian forces are concentrating their advance on the heavily fortified "Fortress Belt" in the Donetsk region, particularly around Sloviansk, Kostiantynivka and Pokrovsk, where Moscow has repeatedly sought territorial gains as part of its broader campaign objectives.

Ukrainian authorities have ordered evacuations in parts of Sloviansk as Russian troops advanced to within roughly 20 kilometres of the city, while battlefield monitors reported intensified assaults aimed at shaping conditions for a wider offensive across multiple axes.

The Institute for the Study of War said recent Russian attacks, including battalion-sized operations and smaller coordinated pushes, suggest an attempt to stretch Ukrainian defences, though Kyiv has reported modest counteroffensive gains supported by improved drone.

At the same time, Ukraine is expanding mid-range strike capabilities and integrating unmanned systems into frontline operations, with officials arguing that precision drone warfare is helping disrupt Russian logistics, weaken supply chains and expose vulnerabilities in its assaults.

The escalation comes amid wider geopolitical strain, with the ongoing conflict with Iran drawing US attention away from mediation efforts, while rising oil prices have bolstered Russian revenues and shortages of West's air defence systems continue to challenge Ukraine's capacity.