Russian forces have increasingly lost the initiative in the war and are forced to react to Ukraine's actions rather than achieve their own objectives. This information is stated in the summary of the British Ministry of Defense, citing intelligence data.
"Since the start of May 2023, russia has increasingly ceded the initiative in the conflict and is reacting to Ukrainian action rather than actively progressing towards its own war aims", - say British analysts.
They have stated that during May 2023, russia carried out 20 nighttime unilateral attacks with drones and cruise missiles deep inside Ukraine. However, russia did not have significant success in achieving its alleged goals of neutralising Ukraine's advanced air defences and destroying Ukrainian air defence forces.
British intelligence believes that russian commanders are likely attempting to generate reserve forces and position them where they believe a Ukrainian counter-attack will occur. However, this has probably been undermined by uncommitted forces instead being sent to fill gaps in the front line around Bakhmut.