July saw the highest number of battles since the start of President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine as Russia stepped up its offensive in eastern Ukraine, according to analysis. Independent monitor ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data) said that in July,

Dmitri N. Kozak, who has said privately that the invasion was a mistake, has lost power to another senior Putin ally, Sergei V. Kiriyenko, who has embraced the military action.