Deadly summer ahead for Ukraine and Russia, says WSJ. Ukrainian Armed Forces respond

The Ukrainian Armed Forces refrain from predicting the state of the front lines over the summer, but compared to May, the fighting has indeed intensified, and the occupiers are suffering massive losses, according to Nazar Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Group, during a TV marathon, commenting on The Wall Street Journal's article about a "deadly summer" for both sides.

The WSJ article states that the war is approaching a brutal season during which thousands on both sides are likely to die. However, neither side appears ready to make a decisive breakthrough.

Citing an unnamed Ukrainian security and defense representative, the publication wrote that Russia is likely to continue sacrificing large numbers of troops for minor gains. At the same time, Russia lacks the troops for a significant offensive in the Kharkiv Oblast, and pulling forces from other areas will weaken those fronts. For Ukraine, following last summer's unsuccessful counteroffensive, the current task is reportedly to use fresh Western weapons to hold positions.

Voloshyn noted in response that, compared to May 2024, June has indeed been very active and "hot" on the front. The main battle fronts are Kurakhiv, Kramatorsk, and Pokrovsk. Russians have also intensified their efforts in the Toretsk sector.

"I won't make predictions. Those will be made by analysts and experts, and of course, the Main Directorate of Intelligence... But I will say that in the past week and month, the enemy has suffered significant losses," Voloshyn said.

According to him, despite the active Russian offensive in the east, they lost over 31,000 personnel in June.

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