Ukrainian forces reduce offensive potential of Russians on two fronts: Military

Despite Russian gains in the Kupiansk and Lyman directions, Ukrainian forces were able to prevent their advance and significantly reduce their offensive potential, Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine said on Monday.

“At the moment, there is a certain decrease in the number of attacks launched by the Russians and in the quantity of ammunition they are using, but this does not mean that they have given up their plans. They are regrouping and trying to restore lost capacities. The fighting is ongoing,” Hanna Maliar said on Telegram.

Reducing the offensive potential of an enemy in war refers to the strategic effort to diminish an opponent's capacity to launch or sustain aggressive military operations. This can be achieved through a variety of interconnected means such as targeting and disabling key military assets like weapons and vehicles, disrupting logistics and supply chains, conducting intelligence and counterintelligence operations, employing psychological warfare, utilizing diplomatic and economic measures, and building strong defensive positions. Together, these tactics aim to hinder or restrict the adversary's ability to initiate or maintain offensive actions, thereby weakening their overall military effectiveness and influence on the battlefield.

The situation at the Kupiansk and Lyman fronts, however, was “difficult” as the Russian are constantly attacking while the Ukrainians are trying to repel the attacks. In the Kupiansk direction, she said the Russians were “increasing the density of mine-explosive barriers along the State border in the Belgorod region, searching for weak points in our defense.”

In the Lyman front, the Russians continued their assault in an attempt to displace the Ukrainian troops in the area of the Serebryansky forest of the Donetsk region, but without success.

Meanwhile, heavy battles continued in the Bakhmut direction. The Russians were trying to stop the advance of Ukrainian forces and restore the lost position in the areas west of Klishchiivka, west of Andriivka, and Kurdyumivka.

However, over the past week, the freed territory in the Bakhmut direction has been increased by 3 square km, and the total freed area in the Bakhmut direction stands now at 40 square km.

Furthermore, Russians were trying to advance in the Avdiiv and Marin directions with the aim of establishing complete control over the Maryinka settlement and the surroundings of the Avdiivka settlement. However, Ukrainian forces prevented them from achieving their plans, “but [the situation] is very difficult.”

“The situation there is tense and complicated,” Maliar said

Lastly, in the south, Ukrainian forces continued to conduct an offensive operation in the Melitopol and Berdyansk directions. “Fighting is ongoing.”