UK intelligence names targets of Russian army in Donbas

Russian forces will likely focus on taking several small towns of the Donbas region, during the coming week, including Siversk and Dolyna on the approaches to Slovyansk and Kramatorsk. The urban areas of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk likely remain the principal objectives for this phase of the operation.

Caliber.Az reports referring to the Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine, which is published by the UK Defence Ministry on July 13.

"Russia continues to seek to undermine the legitimacy of the Ukrainian state and consolidate its own governance and administrative control over occupied parts of Ukraine. Recently this has included an initiative to twin Russian and Ukrainian cities and regions to develop post-conflict administrations and a decree to make it easier for Ukrainians to obtain Russian citizenship," the report said.

"Anti-Russian sentiment in occupied Ukraine is leading to Russian and pro-Russian officials being targeted. The Russian-appointed administration in Velykyy Burluk acknowledged that one of its mayors was killed on July 11, 2022, by a car bombing. The targeting of officials is likely to escalate, exacerbating the already significant challenges facing the Russian occupiers and potentially increasing the pressure on the already reduced military and security formations," the defence ministry added.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 13 July 2022

Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/TG9u00orEQ

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— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) July 13, 2022