Russian forces are increasing the pace of their attacks in Donetsk region, while reducing their intensity in the northern part of Kharkiv region. This may mean preparations for the summer offensive or its beginning. Losses among middle-ranking officers prevent the enemy from launching an offensive with large formations. The enemy can get 100 tanks into one point, but is unable to advance with them.
This is reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). According to the experts, the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region is primarily aimed at fixing and distracting the VSU in order to give the occupiers the opportunity to activate other areas of the front.
In particular, on the night of June 18, the occupiers increased the intensity of attacks on the Toretsk-Gorlovka direction and maintained a relatively high intensity of attacks on this section from June 19 to 22. The enemy even won several tactical victories in this area.
This activation and intensification is noteworthy as the Russians have not been active in this area this year. At the same time, the pace of operations in the northern part of Kharkiv region is sharply decreasing.
Ukrainian sources also confirm that some Ukrainian units have been transferred from the Donetsk region to the Kharkiv direction, so the occupiers can use this perceived weakness of Ukrainian positions to intensify attacks, especially in the Toretsk-Gorlovka direction.
p>
In addition, the enemy maintains a high intensity of shelling in the direction of Chasov Yar and around Avdeevka and may soon intensify the attacks. It all depends on whether the Russian command will determine the coming weeks as a favorable time for an offensive here, before the Defense Forces divert their reserves back to the Donetsk region.
As noted, the summer counteroffensive is likely to be concentrated in eastern Ukraine after an advance in the north of the country. However, the latter was aimed at unloading Ukraine's limited resources.
Information about a possible advance of Russian troops on the front has been circulating among experts and the media for a long time. Initially, it was assumed that Kharkiv and Sumy regions could become a hot zone.
Subsequently it became known that the Russian occupiers are trying to withdraw some parts of the Volchansk region due to loss of combat capability.
Yuri Povkh, a representative of the Kharkov operational group, said that the general stabilization of the front in the Kharkov direction means that the enemy is losing personnel in unsuccessful attacks and has no opportunity to advance even with the help of equipment
Loss among middle-ranking officers prevents the enemy from launching an offensive with large formations. The enemy can bring 100 tanks to one point, but is unable to advance with them, Defense Express military expert Ivan Kirichevski said.