"Based on publicly available geospatial data, the Russian Federation has managed to seize less than 38 square kilometers across the entire theater of war over the past week, which is the lowest operational tempo we have seen since April," Col. Ants Kiviselg, head of the EDF Intelligence Center, said at the Ministry of Defense's regular Friday briefing.

He noted that Russian forces captured the most territory in a single week — 225 square kilometers — at the beginning of July, but since then the pace of occupation has steadily decreased.

"That said, we cannot claim Russia's operational tempo has dropped. They are still carrying out 180 to 200 attacks per day, with the main assaults continuing near Pokrovsk," Kiviselg added.

According to him, Russia's primary effort remains concentrated in Donetsk region between Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka, but the units deployed there have not managed to achieve any major results or assert superiority.

"Contrary to Russia's expectations, Ukraine's armed forces have succeeded in retaking certain occupied areas, particularly around Dobropillia as mentioned last week. Russia's 51st Army has also suffered heavier losses there. As a result, Russian troop morale in that area is on a downward trend," the intelligence chief said.

"These small but successful battles allow Ukrainians to reduce pressure on supply routes connecting Dobropillia and Kramatorsk, which in turn creates conditions for them to continue carrying out successful operations in the near future," Kiviselg explained.

Russia has achieved some limited gains on supporting fronts, namely west of Pokrovsk near Novopavlivka as well as toward Lyman and Kupiansk. However, neither direction offers Moscow the possibility of an operational breakthrough, Kiviselg said.

Over the past week, Russia has attacked Ukraine with roughly 40 to 172 drones per day, occasionally mixing in a handful of ballistic missiles.

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