The Russian military is preparing for assault operations in the Zaporizhzhya sector, their goal is to fully reach the administrative borders of Donetsk Region.
The assaults are being prepared to cut off logistical routes and completely occupy the Donetsk Region, Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesman for the Defence Forces South, told Radio Liberty.
"Today, the enemy is attempting to concentrate forces and means to conduct assault operations. I emphasise: not an offensive, not offensive actions, but assault actions in certain areas. In particular, near Pryyutne and near Robotyne. Near Pryyutne, the purpose of these actions is to assault and advance towards Velyka Novosilka in order to take control of Donetsk Region and the remaining territories there and cut off the logistics routes for Ukrainian troops defending Vuhledar and further on to Kurakhove," he said.
According to him, Russian military is also forming similar units near Robotyne.
"In order to also carry out assault actions to capture our positions, which are currently on the so-called Robotynsky ledge. And to move on to Orikhiv," Voloshyn said.
The accumulation of Russian equipment in the Robotyno area is also confirmed by another military officer from this area, Dmytro Pelykh, spokesman for the 118th Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He believes that the city of Zaporizhzhya is the Russians' target here.
"We have some information that they have brought heavy armoured vehicles to this area, as well as a number of buggies or golf carts, which means vehicles not made in Russia. As for any larger load of people, there have not been any yet. It is obvious that they are preparing. It seems that this Robotyno is an eyesore for them. And they would definitely like to cut it off as much as possible, or even go further, because they plan to capture Zaporizhzhya, because they would annex it to Russia, but the city is still Ukrainian," Pelikh says.