{"id":920,"date":"2025-07-17T18:06:52","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T18:06:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/?p=920"},"modified":"2025-07-17T18:10:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T18:10:19","slug":"russia-tightens-its-stranglehold-on-ukraine-battlefield-as-trump-gifts-putin-50-day-window","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/?p=920","title":{"rendered":"Russia tightens its stranglehold on Ukraine battlefield as Trump gifts Putin 50-day window"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"layout__top layout-with-rail__top\" data-editable=\"top\" data-track-zone=\"top\">\n<div class=\"headline headline--has-lowertext\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/headline\/instances\/cmd73ata0002h2bno9ws22zqv@published\" data-component-name=\"headline\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">\n<div class=\"headline__wrapper\">\n<section class=\"layout__top layout-with-rail__top\" data-editable=\"top\" data-track-zone=\"top\">\n<div class=\"headline headline--has-lowertext\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/headline\/instances\/cmd73ata0002h2bno9ws22zqv@published\" data-component-name=\"headline\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">\n<div class=\"headline__footer\">\n<div class=\"headline__options headline__options--has-more\">\n<div class=\"social-share\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/social-share\/instances\/cmd73ata0002c2bnoh5kp93wo@published\">\n<div class=\"social-share__share-links vossi-social-share\" data-type=\"share-links\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"layout__wrapper layout-with-rail__wrapper\" data-sticky-anchor-pos=\"top\" data-sticky-anchor-condition-type=\"pageType,subsection\" data-sticky-anchor-condition-value=\"article,!elections\" data-sticky-anchor-priority=\"1\">\n<section class=\"layout__main-wrapper layout-with-rail__main-wrapper\">\n<section class=\"layout__main layout-with-rail__main\" data-editable=\"main\" data-track-zone=\"main\" data-reorderable=\"main\">\n<article class=\"article\" role=\"main\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/article\/instances\/cmd73atah002q2bno61ntfp4k@published\" data-drag-disable=\"true\" data-unselectable=\"true\" data-show-regwall=\"false\" data-show-paywall=\"true\" data-subscription-only=\"false\">\n<section class=\"body tabcontent active\" data-tabcontent=\"Content\"><main class=\"article__main\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"image__lede article__lede-wrapper\" data-editable=\"lede\" data-freewheel-lede=\"true\">\n<div class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small image--eq-large\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmd73cvud00033b6nrmq57px2@published\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"shutterstock_editorial_15394968h (1).jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\" data-original-height=\"4672\" data-original-width=\"7008\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/shutterstock-editorial-15394968h-1.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\"><picture class=\"image__picture\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/shutterstock-editorial-15394968h-1.jpg?c=16x9&amp;q=h_383,w_680,c_fill\/f_avif\" type=\"image\/avif\" media=\"(max-width: 479px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/shutterstock-editorial-15394968h-1.jpg?c=16x9&amp;q=h_653,w_1160,c_fill\/f_avif\" type=\"image\/avif\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/shutterstock-editorial-15394968h-1.jpg?c=16x9&amp;q=h_605,w_1075,c_fill\/f_avif\" type=\"image\/avif\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/shutterstock-editorial-15394968h-1.jpg?c=16x9&amp;q=h_833,w_1480,c_fill\/f_avif\" type=\"image\/avif\" media=\"(min-width: 1280px)\" \/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"image__metadata\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article__content-container\">\n<div class=\"article__content\" data-editable=\"content\" data-reorderable=\"content\">\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77k4rt00023b6nkp1svecp@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><\/main><\/section>\n<\/article>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"headline__footer\">\n<div class=\"headline__sub-container\">\n<div class=\"headline__sub-text\">\n<div class=\"byline vossi-byline\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/byline\/instances\/cmd73ata000292bnoel611bfw@published\" data-component-name=\"byline\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"byline__names vossi-byline__names\">By\u00a0<a class=\"byline__link vossi-byline__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles\/nick-paton-walsh\"><span class=\"byline__name\">Nick Paton Walsh<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<a class=\"byline__link vossi-byline__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/profiles\/lauren-kent\"><span class=\"byline__name\">Lauren Kent<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<span class=\"byline__name\">Svitlana Vlasova<\/span>, CNN<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"headline__byline-sub-text\">\n<div class=\"headline__sub-description vossi-read-time\">\u00a05 min read<\/div>\n<div class=\"timestamp vossi-timestamp\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/timestamp\/instances\/cmd73ata0002a2bno7d390ktn@published\" data-editable=\"settings\">Updated 6:34 AM EDT, Thu July 17, 2025<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"headline__options headline__options--has-more\">\n<div class=\"social-share\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/social-share\/instances\/cmd73ata0002c2bnoh5kp93wo@published\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"layout__wrapper layout-with-rail__wrapper\" data-sticky-anchor-pos=\"top\" data-sticky-anchor-condition-type=\"pageType,subsection\" data-sticky-anchor-condition-value=\"article,!elections\" data-sticky-anchor-priority=\"1\">\n<section class=\"layout__main-wrapper layout-with-rail__main-wrapper\">\n<section class=\"layout__main layout-with-rail__main\" data-editable=\"main\" data-track-zone=\"main\" data-reorderable=\"main\">\n<article class=\"article\" role=\"main\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/article\/instances\/cmd73atah002q2bno61ntfp4k@published\" data-drag-disable=\"true\" data-unselectable=\"true\" data-show-regwall=\"false\" data-show-paywall=\"true\" data-subscription-only=\"false\">\n<section class=\"body tabcontent active\" data-tabcontent=\"Content\"><main class=\"article__main\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content-container\">\n<div class=\"article__content\" data-editable=\"content\" data-reorderable=\"content\">\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77k4rt00023b6nkp1svecp@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">US President Donald Trump\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/07\/16\/politics\/ukraine-russia-putin-trump-strategy-shift-analysis\">50-day pause<\/a>\u00a0ahead of possible\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/07\/14\/politics\/us-ukraine-weapons-trump\">secondary sanctions on Russia<\/a>\u00a0gifts the Kremlin a window to exploit the incremental gains of recent weeks, which analysts say increasingly put key Ukrainian strongholds in the east in peril.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77k4rt00033b6nbgj7uj4t@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">Russia is thought to be days or weeks away from surging into a heightened summer offensive, perhaps using the 160,000 troops Ukrainian officials have said are amassing near their front lines. But in the past two weeks, Russia has also made small but vital advances, placing its forces in a better position to cut off Ukrainian troops in three key towns \u2013 Pokrovsk, Kostyantynivka and Kupiansk \u2013 on the eastern front line.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77k4rt00043b6nvomkaq70@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">The Kremlin appeared unperturbed by the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/07\/15\/politics\/trumps-ukraine-pivot-mcgurk-analysis\">new Trump deadline<\/a>, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying on Tuesday: \u201cFifty days \u2013 it used to be 24 hours; it used to be 100 days; we\u2019ve been through all of this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77k4rt00053b6neof9qtux@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">Analysts said the new time frame boded well for Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2019s goals. Keir Giles from Chatham House wrote Tuesday that it also provided space for Moscow on the diplomatic stage. \u201cThe deadline of 50 days gives Russia plenty of time to concoct its own alternative plan, and once again outmanoeuvre Washington through a diplomatic ploy which Trump may well accept willingly\u2026 Trump\u2019s latest extension of his notional deadlines for Putin extends Ukraine\u2019s suffering for the same arbitrary period.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77k4rt00063b6njuey034x@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">John Lough, head of foreign policy at the New Eurasian Strategies Centre think tank, said the summer offensive had likely been underway for several months already, and that \u201cthe Russians are undoubtedly intensifying their efforts, both on the ground and in the air.\u201d He said the recent\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/07\/16\/europe\/russia-ukraine-400-drones-attack-intl-hnk\">aerial onslaught against Ukraine\u2019s cities<\/a>\u00a0was perhaps a reflection of Moscow\u2019s slow progress on the front lines, and aimed \u201cto demoralize the population and zap its will to fight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77k4rt00073b6n6hdqld15@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">\u201cPutin has sounded for a few months now quite confident about the progress of this campaign, recognizing that the Ukrainians are short of manpower, (and) short of certain weapons systems,\u201d Lough said, adding that Moscow was hoping to spread the Ukrainian defence too thin. \u201cWe\u2019re going to see a continuation of that over the next at least 50 days.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"graphic\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/graphic\/instances\/cmd73d12p00083b6n1vja78q9@published\" data-component-name=\"graphic\">\n<div id=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/graphic\/instances\/cmd73d12p00083b6n1vja78q9@published\" class=\"graphic__anchor\" data-url=\"https:\/\/ix.cnn.io\/dailygraphics\/graphics\/20250716-ukraine-control-map\/index.html\" data-type=\"dailygraphics\" data-slug=\"20250716-ukraine-control-map\" data-pym-src=\"https:\/\/ix.cnn.io\/dailygraphics\/graphics\/20250716-ukraine-control-map\/index.html\" data-pym-auto-initialized=\"\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77k4rt00083b6n9v30iwdw@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">The incremental advances Moscow has made around these three towns have come at a significant cost. But mapping of the front line by DeepState, a Ukrainian monitoring service, and reports from the region show Russian progress in a bid to flank all three.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd7904q8001s3b6n686ls18s@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">In the past 72 hours, Russian forces have edged closer to Rodynske, a key settlement to the northeast of Pokrovsk, a main Ukrainian military hub besieged by Moscow for months.<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content related-content--article\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/related-content\/instances\/cmd78zmjp001q3b6nwd4qdj7s@published\" data-component-name=\"related-content\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">\n<div class=\"related-content__image image__related-content\">\n<div class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmd6aggbk000p27nrfgu2emoz@published\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"AP25136293339661.jpg\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\" data-original-height=\"2000\" data-original-width=\"3000\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/ap25136293339661-20250716190931488.jpg?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image__metadata\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"related-content__headline\"><span class=\"related-content__title-text\" data-editable=\"content.title\">Related article<\/span><span class=\"related-content__headline-text\" data-editable=\"content.headline\">Ukrainian military leaders stress it would be \u2018nearly impossible\u2019 to fight Russia without drones<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77kxkd000f3b6n8nangz2k@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">This advance is matched to Pokrovsk\u2019s west, where Russian troops are now moving to encircle the village of Udachne, enabling them to challenge supply routes into Pokrovsk with greater efficiency.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77jxrh00003b6ndab65yzw@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">A Ukrainian commander, who goes by the call sign Musician and leads a drone company in the 38th marine brigade, has served near Pokrovsk since October. He told CNN the Russian offensive had been underway for some time. \u201cIt has probably not reached its peak yet,\u201d he said, \u201cbut they have been advancing for some time and are doing so quite successfully.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77lbi1000i3b6ntndhl7a1@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">Musician said the defense of Rodynske was key. \u201cThe enemy understands this and is counting on it. If they advance from Rodynske, the situation will be critical. There are one or two roads there that they can take control of, and logistics will be cut off. It\u2019s a logical move on the part of the enemy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77metp000o3b6ntj1hcwg6@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">He said reinforcements were urgently needed there, or they would risk a repeat of the encircling and retreat seen in early 2024 around the town of Avdiivka \u2013 to Pokrovsk\u2019s east. Ukrainian troops held on in Avdiivka for months, until they lacked the numbers and resources to maintain their grip on the town, in a defeat that came to symbolise both Kyiv\u2019s tenacity and Moscow\u2019s relentless tolerance for high casualties to take territory.<\/p>\n<div class=\"image image__hide-placeholder image--eq-extra-small image--eq-small image--eq-large\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/image\/instances\/cmd73wb2u000a3b6nph2cvbbx@published\" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-name=\"IMG_0025.JPG\" data-component-name=\"image\" data-observe-resizes=\"\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--eq-large&quot;: 660}\" data-original-ratio=\"0.66625\" data-original-height=\"1066\" data-original-width=\"1600\" data-url=\"https:\/\/media.cnn.com\/api\/v1\/images\/stellar\/prod\/img-0025.JPG?c=original\" data-editable=\"settings\">\n<div class=\"image__container \" data-image-variation=\"image\" data-breakpoints=\"{&quot;image--eq-extra-small&quot;: 115, &quot;image--eq-small&quot;: 300, &quot;image--show-credits&quot;: 525}\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-922\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img-0025.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"1160\" height=\"773\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img-0025.webp 1160w, https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img-0025-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img-0025-1024x682.webp 1024w, https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img-0025-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1160px) 100vw, 1160px\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"image__metadata\">\n<div class=\"image__caption attribution\"><span class=\"inline-placeholder\" data-editable=\"metaCaption\">A special Ukrainian police force helps evacuate some of the last civilians from Kostantynivka, Ukraine, on July 16, 2025. Residents there have faced daily bombardment.<\/span><\/div>\n<p>National Police of Ukraine<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77m2ax000l3b6nu8szq4lt@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">Ukrainian military blogger Bohdan Miroshnikov wrote that if Rodynske is \u201ccaptured, this will complete the encirclement of our entire left flank\u201d around Pokrovsk, adding similarly pessimistic assessments of the right flank and south. \u201cIf things continue like this, there will be few options left\u2026 either our garrison will be forced to retreat under threat of encirclement, or there will be fierce fighting in a semi-encirclement with unclear prospects.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77n1ov000r3b6n8a9m447j@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">The Russian military Telegram channel \u201cVoennaya Khronika,\u201d which translates to \u201cmilitary chronicle,\u201d said the ambition was for Pokrovsk to fall like Avdiivka and Bakhmut before it, with \u201csuccessive flank isolation, pressure on supply lines and frontal stagnation after strategic exhaustion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77nucu000w3b6ndqcjv6ei@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">DeepState\u2019s mapping also shows advances towards Kostyantynivka \u2013 another key hub in the east \u2013 which Russia has swiftly approached in the past two weeks\u00a0from the southeast and southwest, and which is now relentlessly hit by attack drones.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77nclt000u3b6ns75hwccd@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">Ukrainian blogger<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>and serviceman Stanislav Buniatov, who goes by the call sign Osman,<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>wrote that the advances bring Moscow\u2019s forces further into the Dnipropetrovsk region, an area not originally part of Putin\u2019s territorial goals. The daily clashes leave \u201c70-90% of the enemy\u2019s personnel and equipment destroyed, but the enemy is advancing, and everyone understands why,\u201d Osman wrote.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77ooj8000z3b6nbo0lz3em@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"on\">Misleading reports from Ukrainian commanders to their superiors were hampering their defense, DeepState posted on Wednesday. \u201cA big part of the enemy\u2019s success is the lies in reports from the field about the real state of affairs, which makes it hard to assess risks and respond to changes in the situation from above\u2026 this is a huge problem that has catastrophic consequences. Lies will destroy us all.\u201d The post highlighted the area to the south of Pokrovsk as particularly vulnerable to this internal, Ukrainian failing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77p58h00143b6n3nmnjfdz@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"off\">Russian advances are slighter to the north of Kupiansk but present another challenge to Kyiv\u2019s often over-stretched forces. Moscow\u2019s advance since June 23 from Holubivka has left it now in control of a key access road to the north of Kupiansk, by the settlement of Radkivka.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/paragraph\/instances\/cmd77p58h00153b6ngrrrq3bk@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-component-name=\"paragraph\" data-article-gutter=\"true\" data-analytics-observe=\"off\">Kupiansk is one of the main towns to the east of Ukraine\u2019s second city, Kharkiv, and control over it helps secure the city of an estimated million people.<\/p>\n<p class=\"footnote vossi-footnote inline-placeholder\" data-uri=\"cms.cnn.com\/_components\/footnote\/instances\/cmd795fpd001u3b6n5q530pwh@published\" data-editable=\"text\" data-article-gutter=\"true\">Svitlana Vlasova reported from Kyiv and Nick Paton Walsh and Lauren Kent from London.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><\/main><\/section>\n<\/article>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; By\u00a0Nick Paton Walsh,\u00a0Lauren Kent\u00a0and\u00a0Svitlana Vlasova, CNN \u00a05 min read Updated 6:34 AM EDT, Thu July 17,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":921,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/920","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=920"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/920\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":926,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/920\/revisions\/926"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.cedritech.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}