As of August 20, 2022, according to the latest Defence Intelligence update, the last week has seen only minimal changes in territorial control along the front line. In the Donbas, after small advances from early August, Russian forces have approached the outskirts of the town of Bakhmut, but have not yet broken into the built-up area.
Russia has not made any major efforts to advance in the Zaporizhzhia or Kharkiv sectors.
In the south-west, neither Ukrainian nor Russian forces have made advances on the Kherson front line. However, increasingly frequent explosions behind Russian lines are probably stressing Russian logistics and air basing in the south.
It is unlikely that the situation will significantly change in the next week. Russian forces are, for now, probably only prepared to undertake limited local assaults, rarely involving more than a company of troops.
However, over the coming months the initiative will go to whichever side manages to generate a credible, committed force for offensive operations.
