Russian military leaders have issued orders to prepare for the “hot phase” of the Ukrainian conflict over fighter pilots, reports the Independent, citing Ukrainian intelligence. According to the publication, we are talking about the preparation “of personnel and units” for an offensive operation in the eastern direction.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Britain’s BBC television channel in mid-February that a “full-scale Russian offensive” had already begun. According to the Ukrainian leader, the attacks come from several directions.
At the same time, Zelenskyy did not dispute his statements, adding only that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) can continue to resist until they can launch a counteroffensive. The president recalled that the country needed security guarantees and that any territorial compromise “would weaken Ukraine as a state”.
Earlier, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar spoke about the ongoing offensive of Russian troops. She acknowledged that in the area where the Russian special operation is taking place, the soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are in a difficult situation. She described the situation as “tense”.
At the beginning of February, the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported in a report that the Russian army had launched a major offensive on the Svatovo-Kremennaya line in the LPR. Analysts noted that the command of the RF Armed Forces sent at least three divisions to the front line. The ISW believes that the offensive has not yet reached its peak, since Moscow has not committed all of its reserves to the battle.
Earlier it was reported that Russian units were continuing the tactical encirclement of the APU group holding Artemovsk (Bakhmut) (Bakhmut) and a number of adjacent settlements. The soldiers advance west towards the line of fortified areas between Grigorovka, Orekhovo-Vasilevka, Novomarkovo, Markov, Bogdanovka and Dubovo-Vasilevka. Ukrainian troops continue to fire on Russian formations coming from the north.
