The USbased ISW's announcement coincides with Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky's call for Ukrainians to prepare for a year of intense resistance to Russian aggression.
In today's report, the ISW notes in particular that “there may be favorable conditions for the Russian armed forces to intensify their operations in the Kupiansk direction (in the Kharkiv and Luhansk regions).”
According to ISW, this Russian tactic would “aim to achieve territorial advances in sectors that are more important from an operational perspective than other areas that Russian forces are currently trying to capture.”
A Russian push in this direction could force Ukrainian forces to abandon the eastern bank of the Oskil River and pave the way for future Russian operations along the KupianskSvatoveKreminna line, the American think tank said.
Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman Andri Cherniak acknowledged that there was a “certain accumulation of enemy forces and assets” in the Kupiansk sector.
In his usual daily message today, Zelensky called on Ukrainians to continue resisting Russian aggression.
“To resist this year is to resist the entire war. It is an important moment that is highly decisive,” he said.
The Ukrainian president emphasized that the state's main priority is “to ensure everything necessary for the defense of Ukraine and for military actions: ammunition. “Drones.” [aparelhos aéreos não tripulados]. Military equipment. Effective”.