1 Institute for the Study of War & The Critical Threats Project 2022
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 24
Karolina Hird, Kateryna Stepanenko, George Barros, and
Frederick W. Kagan
August 24, 6:30 pm ET
Click here to see ISW's interactive map of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This map is
updated daily alongside the static maps present in this report.
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu stated on August 24 that Russian forces are
slowing down the overall pace of their offensive operations in Ukraine while reaffirming
that Russia’s objectives in the war have not changed. At a meeting with defense ministers from
member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Shoigu stated that Russian troops will
be slowing down the pace of offensive operations in Ukraine in a conscious effort to minimize civilian
casualties.
1
Shoigu also reiterated that operations in Ukraine are going according to plan and that
Russian forces will accomplish all their objectives, supporting ISW’s assessment that Russia’s
maximalist strategic war aims in Ukraine have not changed.
2
The Russian MoD has previously issued
similar statements to account for the pace of operations in Ukraine.
3
Shoigu‘s statement may also represent an attempt by the Russian MoD to set information conditions to
explain and excuse the negligible gains Russian forces have made in Ukraine in the last six weeks. Since
Russian forces resumed offensive operations following a pause on July 16 Russian forces have gained
about 450.84 km
2
(roughly 174 square miles) of new territory, an area around the size of Andorra.
Russian forces have lost roughly 45,000 km
2
of territory since March 21 (the estimated date of Russian
forces’ deepest advance into Ukraine), an area larger than Denmark. As ISW has previously assessed,
Russian forces are unable to translate limited tactical gains into wider operational successes, and their
offensive operations in eastern Ukraine are culminating. Shoigu’s statement is likely an attempt to
explain away these failings.
4
Key Takeaways
Russian forces have lost an area larger than Denmark since the high-water mark
of their invasion of Ukraine in mid-March and gained an area the size of Andorra
(one percent of what they have lost) in the last 39 days.
Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reaffirmed that Russia has not changed
its maximalist strategic war aims.
Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks southwest and southeast of
Izyum, northeast, and south of Bakhmut, and west and southwest of Donetsk City.
Russian forces conducted a limited ground attack in northwestern Kherson Oblast.
Ukrainian forces continued to target Russian military assets and ground lines of
communication (GLOCs) in Kherson and Zaporizhia Oblasts.
Russian occupation authorities continue to face partisan and internal challenges
to the administration of occupation agendas.
Russian proxy leadership is continuing efforts to oversee the legislative and
administrative integration of occupied territories into Russian systems.
