The situation 1599 – August 7, 2026

1. Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly had a phone call on August 6 with the commander of a Russian Airborne Forces (VDV) division, indicating that Russian forces are prioritizing advances in the Pokrovsk and Dobropillya directions with the intent of encircling Ukraine’s Fortress Belt from the southwest.
2. The Russian timelines for the completion of this wide envelopment are extremely unrealistic, however.
3. Putin’s call with the 76th Guards VDV Division commander is likely also a response to emerging accusations that he is out of touch with the battlefield reality in Ukraine.
4. Ukraine’s intermediate-range strike campaign against the Russian rear, along with Ukrainian tactical drone overmatch on the frontline, are slowing down Russian operational tempo across the frontline.
5. An improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in central Moscow City on August 1 reportedly killed Russian Major General Valery Plokhotnyuk.
6. The US Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, which imposes 100% tariffs on US imports from the five largest importers of Russian crude oil and natural gas, among other provisions, on August 7.
7. Russian forces recently advanced in the Novopavlivka and Oleksandrivka directions.  
8. Russia launched 147 drones against Ukraine overnight.  

The full update of the Russian offensive 1599 is available on UNDERSTANDING WAR.