Putin sets the army of the Russian Federation unattainable goals, invaders lose faith in the perspective of "referendums": ISW estimates and a map of hostilities

The Russian dictator stated that the purpose of war - a "special military operation" of the Russian Federation - is allegedly "elimination of an anti -Russian enclave" in Ukraine, which is allegedly an existential threat of the Russian state. This statement is similar to its initial false concept of "Ukraine as an anti-Russia", which Putin declared shortly before the invasion, motivating the beginning of the war.

This current position "confirms his maximalist intentions for Ukraine and is likely to create an information ground to call for further efforts of Russia [in the war] and generation of additional forces in the fall and winter", according to ISW analysts.

Video of the day, they also say that, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Putin continued the "deadline" of the Russian troops of Donetsk region from August 31 to "extremely unlikely" date - September 15, and now Russian troops redeem forces in an attempt to achieve this goal.

However, ISW is considered unlikely that the Russian forces will achieve progress in the Donbass, necessary for the seizure of the region by September 15 - even despite the transfer of units of the Central Military District of the Russian Army, which was reported in the Ukrainian command.

At the same time, the Kremlin is probably trying to nourish the morale of the Russian military and demotivated puppet forces "L/DNR", blowing up the only success of the occupiers of many recent weeks - the capture of territories around Donetsk, the fights for which have been going since 2014 (including the area of ​​the Butovskaya mine).

After the capture of Lisichansk Russian forces failed to move to Siversk or capture the E40 highway, leading to Slavyansk and Bakhmut - the occupiers probably have difficulty, forcing LNR fighters to fight for entering the administrative borders of Donetsk region.