Putin ordered Shogu to stop the Ukrainian counter -offensive: Terms named - isw

"Putin allegedly gave Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigi a month before the beginning of October 2023 to improve the situation in the forefront, stop Ukrainian counter -offenses and return the initiative to the Russian troops," the report said. Analysts believe that the Russian military command can give orders for continuous counterattacks to force the Ukrainian counter -offensive to reach the culmination, even a high price for Russian military potential.

Analysts emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the beginning of the Ukrainian counter -offensive on June 9 and stated that the Armed Forces would not achieve significant success due to well -prepared Russian defense and suffer great losses among personnel and military equipment.

"Putin and the Kremlin view Russian defense operations as a great victory on the battlefield, and constant Russian counterattacks allow the Kremlin to name these operations with individual victories against the background of the general absence of Russia's success in the battlefield in other places," the ISW report said. Analysts are convinced that the Kremlin is trying to undermine the support and trust in the Armed Forces in Ukraine and in the West.

In addition, Putin could order the Russian military command to retain their initial defensive positions in order to create the illusion that the Ukrainian counter -offensive did not bring any tactical or prompt effect, despite the support of Western partners. According to analysts, this tactic of Russians will be able to succeed only in the long run, if the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation can truly prevent the Armed Forces to break through and deduct significant territories.

We will remind, on September 22 General, commander of the group "Tavriya" Alexander Tarnavsky stated that winter will not slow down the Ukrainian counter -offensive. According to him, the weather can be a real obstacle, but the Armed Forces are moving forward mainly without equipment, so the weather conditions will not greatly affect the pace of offensive.