Ukrainian soldiers from the 5th Heavy Mechanized Brigade raised the Ukrainian flag in Tolstoi, Donetsk Oblast, at coordinates 48.039332, 36.679193, according to reports from UAControlMap, GeoConfirmed, and AndrewPerpetua. Recent assessments suggest that Russia's military has "run out of steam," with recruitment numbers reportedly one-third of losses, low morale, and units being destroyed without rebuilding. Major units like the 35th and 36th Combined Arms Armies appear to have been broken up and depleted over the past 18 months. Russia is reportedly struggling to advance in areas where Ukraine is not attempting to hold ground, such as in Pokrovsk, where Russia cannot seem to take the area with elements of the 5th Army Corps, while Ukraine holds it with the new 155th Brigade and other units. Russian military tactics are described as inconsistent, shifting between armor attacks, infantry assaults, and other methods without achieving a breakthrough. Reports indicate a significant turnover in Russian senior leadership, with many generals reportedly fired, jailed, or killed, leading to a decrease in the faith of soldiers at the front. Additionally, Russian troops are reportedly aware that their homes are being hit, and that wounded or damaged soldiers may face detention or a lack of financial support upon returning home, diminishing the perceived benefit of military service. In other developments within Russia, President Vladimir Putin has awarded Igor Krasnov, the head of the Prosecutor General's Office, following the nationalization of assets worth 2.4 trillion rubles, according to The Moscow Times. Separately, new regulations in Russia may impose fines for publishing images of Satan, as reported by MK.ru.
