Tom O'Connor
While the aftermath of the "12-Day War" between Iran and Israel continues to draw international attention, including from the White House, Russian President Vladimir Putin has seized on the opportunity to fuel new momentum for his ongoing war in Ukraine.
As with the conflict in the Middle East, battlefield reports from Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II are notoriously difficult to verify independently. Yet news from the frontlines indicates recent Russian advances into new regions in central Ukraine, as well as a sizeable buildup of forces near the northeastern regional capital of Sumy.
An analysis conducted by the Agence France-Presse news agency, citing data from the Institute for the Study of War, found that Russian forces had seized more land in June than in any month since last November. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military faced Sunday what it called the largest-scale aerial assault since Russia first launched the war in February 2022.
A torchlit ceremony is held as new recruits are inducted into Ukraine's '144th Special Operations Center' on June 29, 2025, at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images
Though Moscow's gains remain relatively limited and incremental, they are persistent. And Putin's decision to step up the offensive at a time when the White House's foreign policy focus remains on the Middle East — with President Donald Trump now doubling down on efforts to capitalize on the Iran-Israel ceasefire to seek a truce in Gaza — may indicate a concerted effort to strengthen the Kremlin's position should U.S.-mediated talks ultimately manifest over Ukraine.
"You might expect some small offensives while the U.S.' strategic attention is focused yet again on the Middle East," Amos Fox, retired U.S. Army Colonel serving as fellow at Arizona State University's Future Security Initiative, told Newsweek.
"Putin might use this perceived distraction as an opportunity to obtain further territory that will prove advantageous for Russia at the negotiating table," he added.
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