Russia could encircle Lysychansk before advancing towards Slovyansk, ISW report says
Before resuming their offensive on the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk in Donetsk Oblast, Russian troops are seeking to encircle Ukrainian forces in the city of Lysychansk in Luhansk Oblast, and cut off the ground supply route to the city’s north-west, the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in its assessment of the Donbas battlefront on June 24.
According to the report, Ukraine will likely manage to maintain the defense of Lysychansk, further draining Russian military potential.
However, if Russian advances start to threaten other Ukrainian strongholds in the region, Kyiv might pull its troops out of Lysychansk.
In order to isolate the city, Russia would have to cut Ukrainian supply routes from Bakhmut and Siversk, the report said. The botched Russian attempt at fording the Siverskyi Donets river back in May is likely to make the operation more difficult.
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