The UK Defense Ministry reports that Russia has probably intensified its armored assaults in the Mariinka area near Donetsk City, which has been fought over since 2014 and holds strategic importance for access to Donetsk and the key H15 road.
The ministry tweeted:
- "Over the last seven days, Russia has likely increased its armoured assaults around the Donetsk Oblast town of [Mariinka], 20km south-west of Donetsk city."
- "[Mariinka] has been fought over since 2014 and has been largely destroyed by artillery exchanges. It commands the approaches to Donetsk and the key H15 road."
- "Russia continues to give a high priority to resourcing operations in the broader Donetsk sector, including the [Mariinka] and Avdiivka areas, expending significant resources for minimal gains."
- Russian forces resort to “Syrian-style scorched earth” tactics at Bakhmut – Col-Gen. Syrskyi
- Ukraine altered military plans because of alleged Pentagon documents leak – CNN source
- Heavy losses among Wagner group force Russia to deploy elite army units to storm Bakhmut – Ukrainian military
- Russian forces using artillery to offset their degraded offensive capabilities – ISW
- Russia lost over 10,000 vehicles and pieces of heavy weaponry in Ukraine, Oryx says
