UK intel claims Russia failed to achieve its pursuits amid relentless airstrikes in Kyiv

The UK intelligence, in its daily war updates, asserted that the ongoing conflict has achieved none of its strategic objectives, and has been facing major defeat despite persistent air attacks on Ukrainian territory. The report noted that the Russian air activity remains high over the contested ground in the Donbas with Putin's aircraft conducting strikes using both guided and unguided munitions. It claimed that Russian stocks of precision-guided missiles were likely to have been significantly depleted since the onset of the war.

Lauding the efforts of Ukrainian troops, the intelligence report underscored Russia’s inability to suppress or destroy Ukrainian strategic air defence systems in the opening days of the conflict limited its ability to provide tactical air support to ground manoeuvre elements, contributing to the failure to advance on Kyiv.

"Consequently, Russian air activity has been largely restricted to deep strikes using air and surface launched cruise missiles to disrupt the movement of Ukrainian reinforcements and supplies," according to the intelligence report.

"These strikes alone however have failed to have a meaningful impact on the conflict and Russian stocks of precision-guided missiles are likely to have been significantly depleted as a result," it added. 

Meanwhile, it further noted that the Russian soldiers shifted their focus to Donbas after it failed to capture the national capital. Furthermore, it also highlighted that Putin's forces were able to increase their employment of tactical air to support its creeping advance. "With its operational focus switching to the Donbas, Russia has been able to increase its employment of tactical air to support its creeping advance, combining air strikes and massed artillery fires to bring its overwhelming firepower to bear," it noted. Citing the reason, the intelligence report claimed the combined use of air and artillery strikes has been a key factor in Russia’s recent tactical successes in the region.

Russia-Ukraine war

It is pertinent to mention here that Russia initiated a full-fledged war against Ukraine nearly two days after Vladimir Putin signed a decree recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, on February 24. Since then, it has been bombarding several cities in Ukraine, resulting in the killing of thousands of civilians and the loss of infrastructure. Earlier on Tuesday, Moscow's upper parliament house speaker said Russia is ready to hold negotiations with Kyiv to restore peace in the region. She said that the Putin administration is open to talks with Ukraine and signing agreements that would lead to peace. She said that the Russian government is ready to solve the issue diplomatically and added a will for this is needed on both sides. However, she claimed that the Zelenskyy administration has shown no interest in resolving the issue. 

Image: AP