Russia remains intent on forcing Ukraine to abandon its Euro-Atlantic alignment even as Moscow has shifted its operational focus to eastern Ukraine, according to British military intelligence.
“Although Russia’s operational focus has shifted to eastern Ukraine, Russia’s ultimate goal remains the same. It is determined to force Ukraine to abandon its Euro-Atlantic alignment and assert its own regional dominance.” Twitter On Sunday.
The ministry also said that Russian forces “continue to move combat and support equipment from Belarus towards eastern Ukraine,” adding that Russian artillery “continues to attack Ukrainian positions throughout the east of the country, where Russia plans to renew its offensive activities.”
The intelligence assessment comes in the seventh week of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military operation in Ukraine.
The offensive has continued since then, but Moscow seems to have shifted its focus in recent weeks.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said in early April the Biden administration believes Russia is repositioning its troops in Ukraine to focus its efforts on the Donbass region. Russia’s apparent move came after its invasion stalled in a number of areas due to staunch Ukrainian opposition.
Sullivan said the US believes Russia is “repositioning its forces to focus its offensive operations on eastern and parts of southern Ukraine, rather than targeting most of the territory.”
The determination that Russia was repositioning its troops came after Moscow announced in late March that it would “drastically reduce” military activity near the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Chernihiv, which lie near the Belarusian border. However, the Pentagon said the move was a “repositioning” and “not a true retreat.”
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According to Reuters, Russian forces appear to be pressuring Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol to surrender. Moscow, which has targeted the Ukrainian city, said it is almost in control of the area.
However, the Ukrainians do not seem to give in to the Russians, the intelligence service reported.