The Russians are primarily trying to occupy the Donetsk region, while understanding that this will not be done quickly, they hope to regain control over the territories of Ukraine from which they were previously pushed out by Ukrainian forces.
This was stated by Ivan Tymochko, head of the Council of Reservists of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Ground Forces, during a TV broadcast.
"Currently, the enemy is focusing on Donetsk. They are still trying to occupy Donetsk to fulfill Putin's order for the occupation of Donetsk region and thus justify at least one of Putin's points about occupying Ukraine (they always emphasize that Putin openly declared Donetsk as a priority for him)... It seems that the enemy, understanding that they won’t be able to quickly capture Donetsk region, hopes to regain control over the territories from which they were disgracefully forced to retreat," said Tymochko.
According to him, there are indeed threats of a Russian offensive in Sumy region (Sumy was one of the main directions of the Russia’s offensive on Kyiv).
The head of the Council of Reservists of the Ground Forces reminded that the Russians disgracefully fled from Kharkiv region.
"Of course, Putin cannot admit this. In addition, our counteroffensive took place in Zaporizhzhia, as well as the liberation of the right bank of Kherson. Essentially, Putin also tasked his troops, alongside the occupation of Donetsk, with re-occupying the territories they once held and from which they had withdrawn; and if possible, trying to continue the offensive," noted Tymochko.
He also reported that no significant increase in the Russia's offensive forces is observed in the Vovchansk direction, near Vovchansk and Liptsi, but "if there was relative calm there before, now we have four to five clashes."
Meanwhile, on the Kupiansk direction, the intensity of Russian offensive actions is moderate. According to the military, the number of Russian offensives has increased in the Lyman direction. Furthermore, in the Kramatorsk direction, particularly near Toretsk, the Russians are trying to break through the Ukrainian defense.
"Pokrovsk — at this stage, this area has the largest number of clashes. There are up to 60-70 engagements a day. The enemy is trying to break through the Novopavlivka direction. They are unable to fulfill the task set by the Russian command of reaching Konstantinopol and taking control of the M-15 highway," said Tymochko.
Additionally, according to him, there are shifts in the intensity of military operations in the Orikhiv and Hulyaipole directions. Meanwhile, the Kherson direction, when compared to others, is at a state of localized clashes, but the intensity of the fighting has not increased.
