Russia is facing growing pressure on and off the battlefield.
Ukraine has in the past five days made its fastest territorial gains since 2023, according to AFP; analysts said disruption to Starlink access was causing command-and-control problems for Russian forces, while Moscow has seen casualties surge in recent weeks.
Tougher sanctions appear also to be hitting Russian oil exports: Moscow had redirected sales to India, among others, but Washington threatened New Delhi with secondary tariffs over the purchases, and Indian purchases have fallen since. The war enters its fifth year this month, and Kyiv is in a stronger position than at the start of 2025, a Carnegie Endowment expert argued in Foreign Affairs.
