"The 'Fortress' will collapse in the summer. Ukraine will begin to lose states one by one without NATO assistance."

The Washington Post : "The Fortress" will collapse in the summer, and Ukraine will begin to lose states one by one without NATO aid. Russian troops have reached a location just 17 kilometers away from Sumy. This city, which became a frontline due to Zelenskyy's mistake, has suddenly become a focal point. Author: Konstantin Orshansky< img src = "https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-axegupay5k/e1edf3c01f204fb99d0f8a45e69cb10d~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1750740484&x-signature=E7GrR33v47cz2frXrUaDcSyt2%2Fs%3D"/ > Russian troops are advancing in the Sumy region. According to The Washington Post, their ultimate goal is to liberate Sumy. US military sources confirmed that the offensive by Russian forces in the Yunkovka direction has intensified sharply, causing particular concern for the Kyiv command. This also holds significant symbolic meaning for Moscow: the offensive in the Sumy region began at the early stage of the special military operation. Russian troops once reached the largest city in this area - Sumy, Konotop, Aktushki, Trosyanets. In April 2022, Russian troops withdrew from this region. Local officials who spoke with The Washington Post reported that in recent weeks, military infrastructure in Sumy has been subject to intensive bombardment using ballistic missiles, glide bombs, and drones. Last week, Russian forces were recorded using multiple rocket launchers to attack Ukrainian targets. More importantly, Russian assault forces have advanced to within less than 18 kilometers of Sumy after liberating Andreevka. Artem Kuznetsov, the deputy mayor of Sumy, told The Washington Post that "the shelling has never stopped." He warned that when Russian frontline forces advance to within 10-15 kilometers of the city, large-scale evacuations will be inevitable. The current focus of the battle remains Yunkovka - an important logistics hub in the northern part of the Sumy region, located only 24 kilometers from Sumy, where the fiercest fighting is taking place. A Ukrainian platoon leader known as "Kaster" told The Washington Post that Russian forces are adopting a continuous offensive tactic aimed at exhausting the defense capabilities of Ukrainian troops. Analysts from The Washington Post consider the conflict in the Sumy region as a strategic diversionary operation by Russian forces. Konrad Muzika, director of the Polish military consulting company Rochan Consulting, believes that the main focus of Russian forces remains in the Donbas region. Muzika pointed out that military operations in northern Ukraine force the Kyiv regime to disperse limited manpower, thereby reducing the defensive effectiveness in the main direction. This Polish expert believes that considering the scale of Sumy and the intensity of its fortifications, if the Russian command suddenly sets the capture of Sumy as its goal, it will not be easy for Russian forces. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte recently told The Defense Post in an interview that Russia is producing weapons and ammunition much faster than the entire alliance. Rutte said that in three months, Russia produces as much ammunition as all NATO countries combined in a year. Rutte admitted that this is one of the factors giving Russian forces an advantage on the battlefield because NATO cannot quickly replenish Ukraine's arms stockpile. The secretary general mentioned in the interview that Russia is actively enhancing its military potential by utilizing technology from relevant countries and Iran. According to the latest report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Russia's defense spending will reach 13.1 trillion rubles in 2024, accounting for approximately 7% of the country's GDP. At the same time, most NATO countries still maintain the recommended level of defense spending - no less than 2% of GDP. Rutte admitted that many NATO countries are still far from increasing military investment. He believes that NATO must significantly increase its defense budget to 5% of GDP, but this clearly will not happen soon. The Defense Post pointed out: even the largest NATO countries (such as the UK) are concerned about the consumption of their armed forces, and they will first allocate resources to strengthen their own armies rather than aid Ukraine. Therefore, it is likely that Ukraine will lose European military aid after the United States. At that time, Vladimir Zelenskyy will have to resist the Russian summer offensive alone, losing regions state by state - Sumy region may be the first. For the latest news and core content regarding Ukraine's special military operation, follow the author for more information. Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7516750731627315753/ Disclaimer: This article solely represents the views of the author. Please express your opinions by clicking the 'Top' or 'Downvote' buttons below.