The Russian invasion of Ukraine has officially entered its 100th day and the conflict continues to rage throughout the country. Despite this, none of Russia's original strategic objectives have been achieved, according to the latest UK defense intelligence update.
So far, Russia has failed to meet many of its major objectives such as seizing the capital of Kyiv and the Hostomel airfield, despite widespread predictions of an easy Russian victory. This is due largely to fierce Ukrainian resistance and severe logistical issues on the part of Russia.
Since then, Russia's operational focus shifted to the Donbas in eastern Ukraine. Here, considerably more success was achieved. Significant gains were made in the Donetsk Oblast and the Luhansk Oblast, both claimed by pro-Russian separatist-controlled breakaways.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 3 June 2022Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/J6pg0zEINb #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/gtepCytay9
— Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) June 3, 2022
Regarding Donetsk, this saw Russia finally seize control of the vital port city of Mariupol after some of the fiercest fighting of the war, and reports indicate that at least 90% of Luhansk is now under Russian control. According to British intelligence, that could soon turn into 100% control in the next two weeks.
But this has come with severe costs for Russia, which have suffered severe losses throughout the conflict.
According to the UK defense intelligence update, Russia will need to keep investing huge amounts of manpower, equipment and other resources in order to achieve any form of success whatsoever. However, this will take a considerable amount of time.
However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Russia will continue what it refers to as a "special military operation" in Ukraine until all its goals have been achieved.
"One of the main goals of the operation is to protect people in the DPR and LPR. Measures have been taken to ensure their protection and certain results have been achieved," Peskov said, referring to the two breakaway regions of Ukraine controlled by Russian-backed separatists.
"War gives birth to heroes!"
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry was quick to congratulate the Ukrainian people on having done more for advancing Ukraine as a country in these past 100 days than Ukraine has done in the past 100 years.
The ministry said that over the course of these 100 days, Ukraine has become a country that no one believed in into a country supported by the entire world.
"We have shown that Ukrainians are the bravest nation and our army is one of the strongest!" the ministry said in a video uploaded to Facebook.
"Our defenders are resolutely repelling enemy attacks, destroying [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's horde and conducting counter-offensive operations despite the aggressor's superiority in weapons and manpower."
The statement went on to praise the Ukrainian people, soldiers and civilians alike, for the staunch resistance that prevented Russian forces from capturing Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and more.
"We have hero soldiers, we have hero cities and on the 100th day in our struggle for freedom, we can say: We are a hero country!"
Ukraines Defense Ministry
"War gives brith to heroes!" the statement said. "We have hero soldiers, we have hero cities and on the 100th day in our struggle for freedom, we can say: We are a hero country! Wounded, burned but unconquered – Ukrainians around the world are forging victory."
Fighting ahead of the 100th day
Russian troops have continued firing at areas in Ukraine, launching strikes on multiple targets in the Sumy Oblast, according to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Further, in the Slobozhanshchyna region in northeastern Ukraine, Russian troops have been replenishing resources in a bid to prepare for another offensive, as well as continuing to fire artillery and rocket strikes, the Ukrainian military alleged.
Russian troops also continued to launch artillery strikes in Donetsk, with the Ukrainian defensive positions and civilian infrastructure in the area in and around Lysychansk and the key city of Sievierdonetsk.
Fires also broke out around the Kharkiv Oblast due to Russian shelling. This resulted in damaging private homes, agricultural facilities and forests, Interfax reported, citing the State Emergency Service.
Russian shelling also hit a village in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in central Ukraine, though no casualties were reported, Ukrainian state media outlet Ukrinform reported, citing the heads of the regional state administrations.
In the Mykolayiv Oblast, several rounds of shelling took place overnight that resulted in casualties and damage to existing infrastructure, Pravda reported.
In the Kherson Oblast, which is almost completely under Russian control, Russian forces are continuing to dig in and reinforce their holdings while also taking part in hostilities on the neighboring oblasts. Reports state that internet and mobile services have been down in several parts of Kherson, according to Pravda.
Russia's attempts at building layered defenses in their holdings in southern Ukraine is part of a move by the Kremlin to move the war into a "protracted phase," Ukraine's Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov told the GLOBSEC 2022 Bratislava Forum by video link.
"Instead of advancing, the Russian armies are constructing layered defenses" in southern occupied regions, primarily Kherson, he said.
US missiles
Ukraine does not plan to use multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) it receives from the United States to attack facilities in Russia, a Ukrainian presidential adviser said on Friday.
"Ukraine is waging a defensive war and does not plan to use the MLRS to attack facilities in Russia," Mykhailo Podolyak said in a Twitter post. "Our partners know where their weapons are used."
War crimes
Throughout the conflict, Russia has been accused of numerous war crimes committed against Ukraine.
As of Friday, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office has found evidence of Russia having committed 15,446 war crimes, the vast majority of which were for violating the laws of war, Ukrinform reported.
A further 7,232 crimes against Ukrainian national security were reported by law enforcement, the majority of which constituted encroachment on territorial integrity while many others covered treason, collaboration and aiding an aggressor, according to Ukrinform.
In Mariupol, the site of some of the fiercest fighting, Ukraine recorded 1,256 Russian war crimes, which are being investigated by the Prosecutor General's Office, Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko told Ukrinform.
Casualties
Russia has suffered severe losses throughout the invasion of Ukraine.
According to the Ukrainian military, over the course of 100 days of fighting, Russia has lost 30,950 soldiers, 210 aircraft, 175 helicopters, 95 anti-aircraft systems, 535 drones, 1,367 tanks, 3,366 armored personnel vehicles, 675 artillery units, 207 MLRSs, 121 cruise missiles, 13 ships, 2,329 fuel tanks and other vehicles and 51 pieces of special equipment.
Втрати ворога в інфографіці @armyinformcomua pic.twitter.com/OpJbL5Wt2E
— Defence of Ukraine (@DefenceU) June 3, 2022
However, due to the nature of the war, the exact number of casualties is impossible to verify.
Ukraine has also suffered losses in terms of casualties and destruction of infrastructure.
In the capital city of Kyiv, the 100 days of fighting have resulted in 95 civilians killed by Russian fire, Ukrinform reported, citing the Kyiv City Military Administration.
Russian troops have also destroyed 300 bridges throughout Ukraine and 24,000 kilometers of roads throughout the invasion, Interfax reported, citing the State Agency of Motor Roads of Ukraine.
According to Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, Russian forces have also destroyed 11 airports, 21 railway stations, 49 railway bridges and 7,000 kilometers worth of railways, Interfax reported.
This is a developing story.
Reuters contributed to this report.