According to Colonel Janno Märk, head of planning for the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) headquarters, Russia is stepping up its offensive pressure in Ukraine, while fighting continues across the frontline.
As reported by the Estonian news outlet ERR.
Märk said that the center of the fighting is still in the Donetsk region, where the Russian forces have continued attacking with the same level of intensity.
“The main area of combat activity continues to be concentrated on the Pokrovsk offensive in the Ocheretyne region and around the Karlovsky reservoir, as well as on pressuring Chasiv Yar,” Märk said.
In addition, Märk noted that “fighting activity continues along the entire front, with 80-90 attacks by Russian Federation forces per day. In recent days, Russia has again increased its offensive pressure in order to maintain the initiative and achieve the tactical objectives it has set for the near future.”
According to Märk, the Russian Federation’s armed forces have succeeded in expanding the territory under their control via small tactical advances. In the Ocheretyne region, the enemy has managed to advance nearly two kilometers in a week and enter the settlement of Novooleksandrivka.
Märk believes Russian troops are likely to maintain heavy pressure in this area in order to control a seven-kilometer-long road junction on the highway linking Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka setting the stage to then cut this link.
Ukraine’s defense remains effective
The EDF colonel also said that Russian Armed Forces had succeeded in expanding their presence in the settlements around Chasiv Yar. However, despite this heavy offensive pressure, Ukraine’s defense has remained effective.
Mark said that Ukraine is trying to regain the initiative with counter-attacks in the direction of Kharkiv in the settlement of Vovchansk.
“The Russian Federation’s forces have suffered heavy losses there and had to regroup. However, Russia is bringing additional troops to that area in order to hold the positions it has gained and possibly expand its offensive to other border areas,” Märk noted.
In the southern part of the front, in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Märk said there have been no major changes on the front line. Ukrainian Armed Forces are also holding the bridgeheads they have established over the Dnipro River.
“The Russian Federation’s forces continue to launch indirect fire strikes in the border areas as well as deep-strikes with cruise missiles and long-range attack drones against major Ukrainian settlements and energy infrastructure. Ukraine, on the other hand, is conducting systematic deep strikes, destroying early warning systems and air defense installations in occupied Crimea and on Russian territory,” the EDF colonel said.
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