Russia may be preparing offensive for spring and summer. FT names possible directions
Russia may be preparing offensive for spring and summer. FT names possible directions
Russia may be preparing for a large-scale offensive in Ukraine in late spring or summer. The Russians may launch an offensive in several areas at once, Financial Times reports.
According to the Financial Times, Ukrainian and Western officials, whose names were not disclosed, spoke about Russia's possible preparations for an offensive. According to these officials, Russia may try to seize more territories in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
In addition, the Financial Times article also states that officials in Kyiv are concerned that the Russians may be preparing an attack on Kharkiv. In particular, Russia is mobilizing hundreds of thousands of troops and preparing for a missile attack on the city.
Russia may be preparing a new offensive
Back in late February, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said that Russia could be preparing a new offensive in early summer or late May. "For our part, we will prepare our plan and follow it," the president said.
In early April, Zelenskyy said that Russia was planning to mobilize 300,000 troops by June 1. In his opinion, the mobilization of Russians will not take much time, but the Kremlin will probably manage to draft fewer than planned.
"The coming months will be difficult. We are now witnessing it live, as our defenders are holding back the next invasions, including in the east, of the Russian occupiers. And the situation in Chasovyi Yar and other areas is all visible live," said Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, during the telethon.
At the same time, Russian propaganda is actively "dispersing" messages about Russia's alleged plans to attack Kharkiv. According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine is doing everything to prevent this from happening and emphasized that the city is securely fortified. At the same time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces noted that there were no signs of an enemy strike group forming to attack Kharkiv.
Read more about the threats to Kharkiv in RBC-Ukraine's article.
