[eveningcoffee]

"Putin's decision to concentrate his firepower on the eastern front has largely succeeded at bringing the conflict to a grinding stalemate."

What can I say, it honestly does not look like winning. It was not expected that Ukraine could do quickly large counter offensive in Donbas. It was not expected that Ukraine can quickly recapture Mariupol and it was known that Russia will attempt to launch very concentrated and massive offensive in Donbas to make a breakthrough there. So far Ukraine is holding despite quite sizable risk they are taking and despite losses. Either way, Russia does not really advance. There has not been any breakthrough yet.