A Ukrainian military analyst admits that constant attacks from Moscow mean the Ukrainians are on the back foot around the Siversky Donets river – even though they’ve managed to thwart Russian attempts to put down bridges near Severodonetsk.
“The advantage is now on the side of the Russian Federation,” Oleh Zhdanov tells the BBC. “We still can't bring down Russia's offensive pace.”
Zhdanov says it’s “very important” that his side keeps control of this part of the Siversky Donets.
Gaining the area would allow the Russians to make a bridgehead and advance in the direction of the river’s estuary, Zhdanov explains. This would let them encircle the key city of Severodonetsk more fully as they attempt to cut off Ukraine’s whole eastern Donbas region.
The order for soldiers to gain this territory came from the very top, Zhdanov adds.
“They are advancing so hard because it is a political task, because Putin has ordered it,” he says.
As we’ve been reporting today, UK defence intelligence says a Russian battalion lost almost all its armoured vehicles during failed attempts to establish bridges across the river. Russia has not commented.
