Putin despairs as Russian troops bogged down in Ukraine ‘unlikely’ to make new offensive

Vladimir Putin will not be able to launch another offensive in Ukraine as he cannot muster enough troops. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) reported that the Russian army has become stuck in of the country as it continues to focus on “liberating” the Donbas region.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow’s aims have remained unchanged since the invasion in February.

However, Putin’s forces are not big enough or strong enough to make any significant gains as fighting for marginal gains continues in towns such as Bakhmut.

The MoD said: “Russia is likely still aiming to extend control over all of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson Oblasts.

“Russian military planners likely still aim to prioritise advancing deeper into Donetsk Oblast.

“Russia’s strategy is currently unlikely to achieve its objectives: it is highly unlikely that the Russian military is currently able to generate an effective striking force capable of retaking these areas.

“Russian ground forces are unlikely to make operationally significant advances within the next several months.”

In September, Moscow issued a partial mobilisation order in a bid to conscript over 300,000 extra fighters to go to Ukraine.

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Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, central Asian nations with links to Russia, have warned their people that fighting for the Kremlin in Ukraine may lead to criminal prosecution at home.

In St Petersburg, residents have been called on to donate their musical instruments, such as accordions, guitars, harmonicas and balalaikas (a Russian folk instrument) to armies in Ukraine.

Authorities in the city said the donations would “support morale, unity, inspire heroic deeds and moral and psychological relief” amongst the soldiers.