Russian Troops Advance as Ukraine Faces Manpower Issues

Russian forces have been making small gains along a vast front line in the ongoing war with Ukraine. According to the latest reports from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian troops have moved south and southeast of Pokrovsk, a crucial logistics hub in the Donetsk region. Videos and geolocated footage show these advances near the town of Selydove, which Russia captured back in October. However, not all Russian attempts have been successful. The ISW mentioned some failed ground attacks near the city of Toretsk over the weekend. Ukraine's military also reported making some progress in the same area on Monday. Russian forces have captured towns like Shaktarsk and Maksymivka, but Ukrainian troops have been pushing back in other sectors, showing both sides are actively engaged. Further north, gains have been reported southeast of Kupiansk and northwest of Kreminna. A video released by Ukrainian forces shows them repelling a Russian mechanized assault in the Lyman direction. Meanwhile, in the Kharkiv region, the Ukrainian army has made strides despite Russia's operations, which include small infantry groups rather than heavy armored vehicles. Ukraine's manpower shortage has been a significant challenge, leading to local retreats and quicker Russian advances. The ISW's maps illustrate the changing landscape around Donetsk. Bloomberg reported that since Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region, Ukraine has lost about 442 square miles of territory, with the last week of October being particularly tough. To tackle these issues, Ukraine has implemented new mobilization laws to replenish its forces. Every man aged between 18 and 60 is now required to register their details on an electronic database. Last week, Ukraine’s National Security Council secretary, Oleksandr Lytvynenko, announced plans to draft an additional 160, 000 troops.