Russia prepares potential ground offensive toward Kyiv

Israeli military analyst Yaakov Kedmi says Russia now has enough reserve forces to launch a large‑scale ground offensive against Ukrainian‑controlled areas and possibly move toward Kyiv in the autumn of 2026. Former Ukrainian army chief General Valerii Zaluzhnyi warns that Ukraine is running low on troops, weapons and rockets, and cautions that a strategy focused on deep strikes on Russian infrastructure while attempting to retake occupied territory may be untenable without continued Western support.

The analysis also raises questions about the role of Belarus and other Russian‑aligned forces in any future offensive, and notes recent Ukrainian efforts to raise new ground brigades for deployment to the Sumy and Chernihiv fronts.