Russian forces are preparing a new offensive in the coming weeks to increase pressure on Ukraine and strengthen Moscow’s position in ceasefire talks, Ukrainian officials and military analysts say.
They believe Moscow is planning a large-scale attack along the front line as spring begins. During a visit to Paris, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said intelligence reports suggest Russia is preparing offensives in the Sumy, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions in the northeast.
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Ukrainian military commanders said Russia has recently intensified attacks to improve its tactical positions ahead of the expected offensive.
The Associated Press reports that fighting has escalated in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Some Ukrainian commanders fear Russia may redeploy battle-hardened troops from the Kursk region.
“It will be hard. The forces from Kursk will come on a high from their wins there,” said a Ukrainian battalion commander in Donetsk, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Ukrainian military analyst Oleksii Hetman predicts that Russia’s offensive could last six to nine months, possibly covering most of 2025.
“They are preparing offensive actions on the front that should last from six to nine months, almost all of 2025,” said Hetman.
According to two Ukrainian commanders, cited by AP, Russia has increased reconnaissance missions to locate and destroy Ukrainian positions, drones and other key sites. Fighting has intensified in Pokrovsk, a key defensive stronghold and logistics hub in Donetsk.
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A Ukrainian soldier, call sign “Italian,” said Russian forces are conducting intensive reconnaissance in Pokrovsk, with intercepted radio transmissions indicating a troop buildup near Selidove. He noted an increase in armored vehicles and new call signs, suggesting fresh reinforcements.
Meanwhile, the Russian Telegram channel Rybar, created by former Defense Ministry press officer Mikhail Zvinchuk, reported that Russian troops had launched an offensive west of Orikhiv, AP reported.
The report claimed this move could be the first step toward taking control of Zaporizhzhia and forcing Ukraine to shift troops, leaving areas like Robotyne and Mala Tokmachka vulnerable.
On Friday, Vladyslav Voloshyn, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces, said Russia has reinforced its troops to launch infantry assaults, worsening the situation in the region.
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