According to British intelligence, any substantial loss in Luhansk province, whose control Russia claimed in July, “will undermine Moscow’s strategy.”
Ukraine continued this Saturday the attempts to extend to Donbas and Kherson the success of its counteroffensive in Kharkov, while Moscow continued to reinforce its troops with volunteers from different regions of Russia.
“Ukrainian forces continue the counteroffensive in the northeast of the country, while Kremlin troops have established a line of defense between the Oskil River and the town of Svatove,” the British Ministry of Defense reported in its latest release.
According to the UK military, Russia maintains control of this area, “where one of its few supply routes passes from the Russian region of Belgorod”bordering the Ukrainian regions of Kharkov, Lugansk and Sumy.
According to British intelligence, any substantial loss in Luhansk provincewhose control Russia claimed in July, “will undermine Moscow’s strategy.”
“Russia is likely to try to carry out a stubborn defense of this airbut it is unclear whether their troops have sufficient reserves or adequate morale to withstand another Ukrainian attack,” the report said.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) pointed out, in turn, that the Ukrainian forces took control of the entire city of Kupiansk, divided by the Oskil River.
The fighting around Liman also continuesabout 54 kilometers from the city of Izium, in the Kharkov region, which Ukraine recovered a week ago.
Liman is strategically important because it is located a few kilometers from the border with Lugansk.
This Saturday, the Ukrainian military reported their control over a town 12 kilometers from Liman and published images with the raising of the Ukrainian flag in the liberated village.
Mobilization in the regions
The Russian authorities are reluctant to declare general mobilizationbut some regions began to declare “self-mobilization” in an attempt to provide additional forces to the Russian Army.
Initially, this initiative was expressed by the Chechen leader, Ramzán Kadírov, and throughout the week it was supported by several Russian governors.
According to Kadyrov, if each Russian region mobilizes at least 1,000 volunteersthe objectives of the Russian “special military operation” in Ukraine would be achieved in a shorter time.
According to the Chechen leader, the governors they should not “sit and wait” for the military campaign to endbut must help the Government with concrete measures.
“We have many patriots willing to join the ranks of volunteers,” he said.
The last to support Kadyrov’s proposal was the head of the Magadan region, Sergei Nosov, who said yesterday that in addition to local mobilization, better cooperation between the regions is required for the needs of the “special military operation.”
This week, the Russian communist leader, Gennadi Zyuganov, assured that the “special military operation” in Ukraine has turned into “a war”, therefore, it is necessary to mobilize all the country’s resources.
Kherson, again in the spotlight
Following attacks against the pro-Russian administration in the region of Khersonwhich occurred in the homonymous capital of this province the day before, the southern front was once again in the spotlight.
The bombardment, according to the pro-Russians, has caused four deaths and several injuries. Moscow has already described these attacks as territorial acts, while the Ukrainian presidential adviser, Mikhaylo Podolyak, assured that they are legitimate targets.
According to the deputy head of the Kherson administration, Kiril Stremoúsov, despite the Ukrainian attacks, the region remains under the control of Russian forces.
This Saturday, the Russian Ministry of Defense affirmed this Saturday that Russian troops have foiled a new Ukrainian counter-attack attempt on Kherson.
“During the fighting (in the region) in a few hours more than 120 Ukrainian soldiers were killed,” military spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.
Russian forces also liquidated seven tanks and 13 armored vehicles near the town of Pravdino as part of the Ukrainians’ attempt to advance on Kherson, it added.
At the same time, after the murder of several pro-Russian officials, Moscow forces intensified the search for Ukrainian collaborators in territories under their control.
In just one week, according to the Russian National Guard, 52 people suspected of links with the Ukrainian Security Service were detained in the Kherson and Zaporizhia regions.