Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has thus\nfar failed to force Kyiv into submission. After more than four years of\narmed conflict, Ukraine has instead increased the intensity of its\nresistance, including launching counter-attacks against strategic\ninfrastructure deep within Russian territory.<\/p>\n
Repeated Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy facilities in recent\nyears have been acknowledged to have a tangible impact on the country\u2019s\nfuel supply. Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that attacks on\nenergy infrastructure have caused disruptions to fuel distribution,\nalthough he claimed the situation remains manageable.<\/p>\n
\u201cRegarding the attacks on important infrastructure in general, and\nenergy infrastructure in particular, attacks on these facilities\ncertainly cause problems, that is clear,\u201d Putin said in an interview\nreported by AFP on Monday (29\/6\/2026).<\/p>\n
Putin added that they are currently observing certain shortages in\nfuel supplies. However, he emphasised that the situation has not yet\nreached a critical stage. Conversely, the Ukrainian government maintains\nthat attacks on Russian energy facilities are a form of retaliation for\nMoscow\u2019s aggression, which has targeted Ukrainian civilians and energy\ninfrastructure since the start of the war.<\/p>\n
On the same occasion, Putin also expressed his hope that the United\nStates delegation could return to Moscow to discuss opportunities to end\nthe war, particularly as Washington\u2019s attention towards the Middle East\nconflict appears to be waning.<\/p>\n
The relationship between Russia and Ukraine underwent a fundamental\nshift following Ukraine\u2019s independence from the Soviet Union. Kyiv\ngradually strengthened ties with Western nations and began seeking NATO\nmembership, a move regarded by Moscow as a threat to its national\nsecurity.<\/p>\n
The situation culminated in 2014 when massive demonstrations in\nUkraine toppled the pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych. The trigger\nwas Yanukovych\u2019s decision to reject a cooperation agreement with the\nEuropean Union. Following the change in government, Russia responded by\nsending troops to the Crimean Peninsula and annexed the strategic\nregion, which remains under Moscow\u2019s control despite a lack of\ninternational recognition.<\/p>\n
Over the past four years, fierce battles have taken place across\nvarious fronts. Although Russia recorded progress in several frontline\nareas during 2023 and 2024 through the seizure of settlements, Ukraine\nhas managed to mount significant resistance.<\/p>\n
Kyiv\u2019s forces have repeatedly succeeded in launching counter-attacks\nin the east and south, including a surprising military operation in the\nKursk region, which is within Russian sovereign territory. The success\nof this resistance is inseparable from the political, economic, and\nmodern weaponry support provided by NATO member states, including the\nUnited States.<\/p>\n
Francois Heisbourg, a Senior European Advisor at the International\nInstitute for Strategic Studies, assessed that Russia has failed to\nachieve the primary objective of its invasion, which was to take full\npolitical control over Ukraine. The military operation, originally\npredicted to be short-lived, has instead transformed into a prolonged\nwar of attrition.<\/p>\n
\u201cUkraine\u2019s stated war aims are consistent with a war of liberation\nand national defence: territorial integrity, political sovereignty, and\ndefence guarantees,\u201d said Heisbourg.<\/p>\n
He assessed that Ukraine has very limited options other than\ndefending its national sovereignty. Kyiv\u2019s strategy, which focuses on\nthe existence of the nation as a sovereign state, combined with demands\nfor post-war reparations and the prosecution of war crimes, ensures\nUkraine\u2019s position remains solid amidst massive Russian military\npressure.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/why-has-russia-not-yet-conquered-ukraine-an-explanation-1782726651", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }