Russian officials continue to demonstrate that the Kremlin is seeking to seize more territory in Ukraine than it currently occupies, and is unwilling to accept compromises or engage in good faith negotiations, regardless of who mediates the them.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) commented on this.
On Nov. 26, the director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (FSI), Sergei Naryshkin, said Russia was open to talks, but said it "categorically rejects" any "freeze" on the current front line or the creation of a demilitarized zone.
Naryshkin claims that the "removal" of the reasons that "made" For the Kremlin to launch its full-scale invasion of Ukraine is the only way to ensure peace - indicating that Russia remains uncompromising in its demand for Ukraine's full surrender.
The Kremlin has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine give up areas of the four Ukrainian regions that the Kremlin illegally annexed and which are not currently occupied by Russian forces.
Rate of advance of Russian military forces as of autumn 2024. has increased significantly since then compared to the 2023 rate of progress. and the rest of 2024, but recent Western media reports comparing recent Russian successes to those at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion continue to mischaracterize the gradual and tactical nature of recent Russian successes.
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed that Ukraine used US-supplied ATACMS against Russia amid official Russian confirmation of recent Ukrainian ATACMS strikes.
Russian forces launched a record number of drones against Ukraine overnight on November 25-26, as Russia continues to increase its use of decoy drones in long-range strike packages targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure to broke Ukrainian air defense systems.
Russian state media reported that Russia's Ministry of Defense (MoD) has replaced the former commander of Russia's Southern Military District (SMU) and the Southern Group of Forces, Colonel General Gennady Anashkin, with the acting commander of the Eastern Military District (IMO). Lieutenant General Alexander Sanchik.
Russian forces continue to execute Ukrainian prisoners of war amid a spate of recent Russian war crimes.
Russia's State Duma is preparing the legal mechanisms to remove the Taliban from the Russian government's official list of banned terrorist organizations.
Ukrainian forces have recently recovered their lost positions near Kremenna, and Russian forces have recently advanced near Pokrovsk, Kurakhovo and Velika Novosilka.
On November 25, a Russian military blogger complained that Russian forces often use artillery without coordinating their actions between different Russian elements, highlighting significant communication problems between armored vehicles and infantry units.
Russian authorities continue to incentivize service in Ukraine by offering lump sum payments, presumably to avoid another partial mobilization.