Russian troops have made little progress north of Slavyansk and are likely to face difficulties storming the city due the tactical challenge of crossing the Siversky Donets River according to the US-based Institute for the Study of War.
Further, ISW reported that Russian troops have gradually moved from the east towards Bakhmut, attempting to cut Ukrainian communications between Bakhmut and Severodonetsk. Under cover of heavy artillery fire, Russian troops continued fighting for the Azot industrial zone in Severodonetsk. Russian troops are likely to conduct limited fighting near the occupied borders north and west of Kharkiv.
Russian troops are focused on strengthening defensive lines along the southern axis, according ISW’s last war update. The Russian army is stepping up ground attacks in the northeast of Zaporozhye Oblast with the support of troop rotations and equipment supplements. Russian proxies are increasingly seizing public offices in occupied territories.
