Russia's invasion of Ukraine has now lasted longer than the Soviet Union's war against Nazi Germany, highlighting Moscow's difficulty in translating military force into decisive territorial control.
The Soviet army fought for 1,418 days between June 1941 and May 1945, ultimately pushing German forces from the Volga River to Berlin and capturing the Nazi capital.
By contrast, Russia's campaign in Ukraine reached its 1,419th day this week, with Russian forces still largely confined to eastern regions near their original invasion lines of February 2022.
The Times of Lonson reported Monday that despite sustained fighting, Russian troops have advanced roughly 30 miles from their initial positions in the Donetsk region.
Russia has not captured and held a single regional capital previously controlled by Kyiv.
Moscow formally claims several Ukrainian regions as Russian territory, but Ukrainian authorities continue to govern major population centers in those areas.
Diplomatic efforts led by the U.S. and European partners have not produced a ceasefire, and fighting continues along much of the front line.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia has failed to break Ukrainian resistance despite the length and intensity of the conflict.
Independent estimates indicate heavy Russian losses, underscoring the cost of the campaign relative to its limited territorial outcomes.
Research by the BBC's Russian service and Mediazona estimates that at least 160,000 Russian troops have been killed, with higher figures possible, while multiple senior officers have also died.
Russian officials continue to frame their invasion of Ukraine as a confrontation with Western-backed forces, a message repeated regularly by state media and pro-Kremlin figures.
Ukrainian officials said Russian forces are preparing renewed operations in the north, including near the city of Sumy, but reported that defensive measures have prevented breakthroughs.
Western leaders maintain support for Ukraine while accusing Moscow of prolonging the conflict without achieving strategic objectives.
As the war enters its fourth year, front lines remain largely static, reinforcing assessments that Russia has struggled to convert manpower and firepower into sustained territorial control.
Ukraine and Russia did pursue cross-border strikes over the weekend as diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war continue.
Ukrainian drones targeted the city of Voronezh, with air defenses intercepting multiple aircraft and debris damaging residential buildings, homes, and a school. Voronezh, a city of about 1 million people, lies 155 miles from the Ukrainian border.
The incident followed a large-scale Russian assault on Ukraine that included hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday. The attack struck Kyiv and other regions, marking one of the heaviest bombardments in recent months.
Russia also deployed its nuclear-capable hypersonic Oreshnik missile for only the second time in the war, striking western Ukraine in what analysts viewed as a signal to Kyiv and NATO amid rising tensions.
Ukraine's largest private energy supplier, DTEK, said tens of thousands of residents in Kyiv remained without power days after the attacks. Half of the city's apartment buildings temporarily lost heating as winter temperatures dropped below freezing.
The escalation came as Ukraine reported progress in discussions with allies over security guarantees intended to deter future Russian aggression if a U.S.-led peace agreement is reached.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian negotiators remain in contact with the U.S. as talks continue.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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