"We are witnessing turning point": military expert on course of war in Ukraine

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"The situation on the front line remains unchanged. The enemy continues to pressure our positions. Ukrainian Defense Forces are holding back Russian troops. There are no significant changes. The mass that the Russians managed to gather over the past year is pressing on our defense. Under this pressure, the Ukrainian defense line is slightly bending. However, it is worth noting that throughout this time of massive pressure, not a single defense line has been breached by the Russians. The occupying Russian army will not be able to conduct offensive actions continuously. There are directions where the situation is very difficult, particularly the Toretsk and Pokrovsk directions. In the Kharkiv region, the situation is the opposite - the Ukrainian Defense Forces are successfully conducting counteroffensive actions. There, the enemy is no longer planning to advance but is trying to entrench and fortify," explained Dykyi.

The expert believes that Russia's offensive potential is dwindling.

"Russians understand well that victories on the front line are unlikely for them. They might make some progress in certain areas, particularly with the real goal of fully occupying Donetsk and Luhansk regions. It's worth noting they may or may not achieve this goal, but I won't dismiss the possibility that they could. Beyond Donbas, they will not advance, and Russians understand this. The peak of Russia's advance has passed, especially during the winter and spring of this year. Therefore, the worst situation on the front line is behind us. Our mobilization situation is improving, and the front hasn't felt the impact of this yet. Thus, the situation on the front, albeit slowly, will gradually change in our favor," he added.

• On July 16, deputy commander of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade Maksym Zhorin said that Russian troops in the Kharkiv direction had to withdraw some divisions and rotate them.
• Despite claims of a wartime economy with 8% of GDP allocated to military expenditures, Russia can only replace its significant losses of tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery by refurbishing Soviet-era stockpiles. While substantial, these reserves are finite.