Russia is preparing to attack either directly on Zaporozhye, or by bypassing Ukrainian positions to encircle the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar stated this at a briefing, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“The most difficult situation today has developed in Slavyansky, Kramators and Bakhmutsky (Artyomovsky - ed.) directions. The enemy is trying to reach the geographical borders of the Donetsk region. In the Kharkov and Balakleya directions, the enemy will continue to restrain the defense forces from advancing towards the state border. And also continue to maintain control over logistics communications on the Belgorod – Kupyansk route.
In the Zaporozhye and Novopavlovsk directions, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate, it is not excluded that the enemy will carry out offensive actions in the direction of Zaporozhye and/or carry out a detour in the direction of Bolshaya Novoselka - Pokrovskoye, obviously with the aim of encircling our units.
It is possible that for this purpose, units of Russian troops in this direction are being reinforced with at least five BTGs,” Malyar said.