Ministry of Defense of Great Britain: russia has deployed 22 battalion tactical groups near Izyum

russia has deployed 22 battalion tactical groups near Izium (Kharkiv region) to try to advance along the northern axis of Donbas.

This is stated in a report by the British Ministry of Defense.

"Despite struggling to break through Ukrainians defenses and build momentum, russia highly likely intends to proceed beyond Izyum to capture the cities of Kramatorsk and Severodonetsk," - the statement said.

The Defense Ministry explained that capturing these cities would consolidate russian military control over the north-eastern Donbas and provide a staging point for their efforts to cut off Ukrainian forces in the region.

According to the new summary of the General Staff, earlier in the Slobozhansky direction, the enemy fired at Kharkiv and Protopopivka from artillery and mortars. Conducted air surveillance in Kutuzivka and Oleksandrivka of the Barvinkivsky district in the Kharkiv region. The enemy tried to run offensive operations in the direction of Dovgenke but was unsuccessful.

Twelve enemy attacks have been repulsed in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in the past 24 hours. Six tanks, five artillery systems (three of them multiple rocket launchers), fifteen units of armored combat vehicles, and nine units of enemy vehicles have been destroyed.