Russian Military Struggles in Ukraine Conflict.

Russian forces in eastern Ukraine have temporarily depleted their combat power, forcing commanders to choose between carrying out offensive operations and conducting a credible defense of the full line, according to a new intelligence assessment by the British defense ministry. Reports of high casualty rates and a lack of munitions have been widely documented by Western and Ukrainian sources in recent months. Despite this, Russian and mercenary forces have gained footholds in the west of the heavily contested city of Bakhmut, which is Russia's only notable recent tactical success.