Russia’s defence minister has ordered bigger and speedier weapon deliveries for its troops in Ukraine, the Russian defence ministry has said.
In a statement, the Kremlin’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu said: “To maintain the required pace of the offensive it is necessary to increase the volume and quality of weapons and military equipment supplied to the troops, primarily weapons.”
The comments were made days after Ukraine’s troops were compelled to make a tactical retreat from three villages in the eastern region, where the Kremlin’s forces have been making incremental gains.
Ukraine and its Western partners are in a race against the clock to deploy critical new military aid that can help check the recent steady Russian advance across eastern areas, as well as thwart drone and missile attacks.
Signs Russian battlefield focus could be shifting
Russia’s focus on the battlefield may be shifting to areas other than around Avdiivka, according to a leading thinktank.
Moscow’s forces have seen their considerable progress slow to the west of the city, with troops now appearing to be concentrated in the Chasiv Yar direction, the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has said.
Chasiv Yar is some 80km north of Avdiivka.
“The Ukrainian General Staff’s morning and evening reports [yesterday] stated that Ukrainian forces repelled a total of 47 Russian attacks in the Avdiivka direction and 57 Russian attacks in the Bakhmut direction throughout the day, notably a much higher number of attacks in the Chasiv Yar direction than Ukrainian sources have recently reported out on,” ISW said in a report.
“One day’s worth of reporting is not sufficient to establish a pattern,” it said, “but it may suggest that Russian forces are somewhat slowing down the rate of attacks around Avdiivka while re-committing to offensive pushes around Chasiv Yar”, it added.
Reports have suggested Russia has set its sights on the strategic town of Chasiv Yar which, if captured, would make it easier for Moscow to advance further in the east.
ISW also noted recent Russian successes near Avdiivka, notably at Ocheretyne (northwest of Avdiivka) and Novokalynove (north of Avdiivka), but said “the rate of confirmed advances appears to have slowed”.
Here’s what the current battlefield situation looks like, according to ISW…
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