Putin has not changed his goals, although he has not achieved any, and is preparing for a protracted war – ISW

The Kremlin is preparing for a protracted war. In particular, the invaders want to seize the initiative on the battlefield.

This is stated in the report of the Institute for the Study of War. Experts note that mobilized personnel are being conserved for further use – this is a departure from the Kremlin's original approach, which was to send untrained personnel to the front in the fall of 2022.

The Kremlin is preparing for a protracted war

Analysts cite the words of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin that Moscow is preparing for a protracted war and promises to correct its mistakes on the battlefield.

On December 7, Putin said that a “special operation” in Ukraine could be a “long process” and made several additional public appearances throughout December outlining his goals to improve the mobilization processes of the Russian military effort, revive the Russian military-industrial base, and centralize

The Kremlin over the Russian information space and the restoration of the powers of the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Experts suggest that the Kremlin is preparing to take decisive strategic action over the next six months to regain the initiative and end Ukraine's counter-offensive successes.

The report notes that Russia has failed to achieve most of its main goals in Ukraine over the past 11 months. Russian troops failed to capture Kyiv, as well as the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, to keep the achievements in the Kharkiv region and Kherson.

ISW analysts also claim that massive missile attacks on the critical infrastructure of Ukraine led by General Sergei Surovikin at the end of 2022 years also did not lead to significant operational consequences and did not demoralize Ukrainian society, as the Kremlin probably intended.

The ISW notes that Putin and Kremlin officials continue to repeat that Russia has not abandoned its maximalist goals, despite the defeat of Russia on the battlefield. Considering that Putin has not abandoned his aggressive goals, he is changing the fundamental approaches to the conduct of the war.