Kremlin preparing for protracted war – ISW

Military analysts from ISW consider that Russia's goal is to destroy the sovereignty of Ukraine and change the regime.

So say military analysts from the American Institute for the Study of War (Institute for the Study of War, ISW). Experts are convinced that the Kremlin is preparing for a protracted war.

Military analysts noted a number of key points:

• Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev reiterated Russian President Vladimir Putin's original goals for the so-called "operation" in Ukraine, suggesting that the Kremlin is maintaining its goal, including regime change and territorial expansion far beyond Donbas.
• The invaders continued their offensive operations to the northwest and east of Sloviyansk.
• The Russian military is trying to move west of the Lysychansk area in the direction of Siversk.
• It is likely that Russian troops are trying to gain access to rural roads southeast of Bakhmut in order to attack the city from the south.
• Ukrainian forces launched a limited counterattack southwest of Donetsk.
• Russian troops continued limited and unsuccessful assaults in the north of Kharkiv region.
• The Russian authorities are strengthening the conscription measures in the occupied territories in order to compensate for the losses incurred in manpower.
• The Kremlin continues to consolidate administrative control over the occupied territories of Ukraine, which is likely to create conditions for the direct annexation of these territories to the Russian Federation.

As Ukrainian News Agency reported, British intelligence has named the next key battle for Donbas.