After capturing the Donbass of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation can already threaten Dnipropetrovsk in the spring - the Times
When Ukrainian troops more than three weeks ago made an unexpected breakthrough of the border in the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, Moscow used this opportunity to increase its pressure on the Ukrainian forces in the south, in particular in Pokrovsk and the time of Yar in Donetsk region. The Times writes about it.
As the winter approaches, both sides fiercely fight for the advantage of November-when cold and wet weather will slow down the movement of troops and reduce the pace of any offensive operations by spring next year. Ukraine has expanded its operations in the Kursk region, carefully moving towards to reduce its flanks and keep open paths for retreat. The military conducts special operations and artillery strikes along the border with the Russian regions - Bryansk, Kursk and Belgorod.
In addition, Ukraine has intensified drones attack on Russian oil refineries. Last week, two enterprises in Rostov burned after heavy Ukrainian attacks. Kyiv also continues to insist on NATO's receipt for stronger blows to Russian aviation. Meanwhile, the real battle for Kursk has just begun this week, notes the newspaper. The Ukrainian side does not reveal the exact number of troops involved in this offensive, trying to confuse the Kremlin.
However, it is known that much of their best weapons and some units of the 80th, 82nd and 95th airborne brigades, as well as several mechanized brigades are involved in hostilities. Instead, Russia is charging forces from different places: from reserves, Chechnya, Kaliningrad, Crimea and even from abroad, in particular from Burkin-Faso. Russian troops overturned units of the 11th Airborne Brigade, the 30th Motorized Rifle Brigade and the 2nd Tank Army from Donbass to Kursk.
However, this does not mean a decisive change in power, since Russian commanders focused on the capture of Pokrovsk, a strategic goal through important transport routes. Russian tactics in the Pokrovsky direction are to use small infantry units that move forward in groups of 8-10 people. They are constantly moving, setting their positions, and then the armored vehicles are joined. Although many of them die or get injured, they continue to step.
Ukrainian defenders have favorable positions for counterattack, but they lack people, ammunition and recreation, The Times writes. Russian troops are ready to sacrifice significant forces to capture Pokrovsk. Like Mariupol, Severodonetsk, Bakhmut and Avdiivka, they try to equalize the city with the ground to get control of its ruins.
The capture of Pokrovsk and high points of the time of the ravine would give the Moscow a bridgehead for further offensive actions to the north and west for the capture of the rest of the Donbass and the threat of Dnipropetrovsk region in the spring of next year. Ukrainian strategists are likely to hope that the Kursk offensive operation will increase political pressure on the Russian leader, as the cost of its long aggressive war will become more clear to the population.
No matter how attractive this goal is for the Kiev leaders, they may have to put up with the fact that in the process of achieving it, they may lose Pokrovsk and the time of Yar. In this case, both President Zelensky and Alexander Sirsky may be under political pressure. The author of the material Michael Clark, invited by a defense research professor at the Royal College of London, believes that none of the parties is expecting a decision on the battlefield this year.