British intelligence reports signs of russian army’s resources depleting

The nature and results of russia's use of combat formations near Sievierodonetsk and missiles during the last series of strikes indicate the growing depletion of the russian forces' resources.

Rubryka reports, citing a review of British intelligence on the war in Ukraine on June 28.

The British intelligence noted that during the last series of missile strikes across Ukraine, russia likely used the Soviet-era AS-4 KITCHEN and more modern AS-23a KODIAK missiles, which they released from the airspace of russia and Belarus.

"These weapons were designed to take on targets of strategic importance, but Russia continues to expend them in large numbers for tactical advantage.

Similarly, it fielded the core elements of six different armies yet achieved only tactical success at Sievierodonetsk. The Russian armed forces are increasingly hollowed out," the review said.

British intelligence officers also spoke about the events on the battlefield.

They note that the Ukrainian military continues to gain a foothold in Lysychansk after retreating from Sievierodonetsk. 

"Ukrainian forces continue to consolidate their positions on higher ground in the city of Lysychansk after falling back from Sievierodonetsk. Ukrainian forces continue to disrupt Russian command and control with successful strikes deep behind Russian lines," the review said.

Earlier, the British Ministry of Defense noted that shortly, russia would increasingly depend on reserve forces. However, despite the constant shortage of reservists, Moscow is still reluctant to accept the idea of general mobilization.

"Over the coming weeks, Russia's campaign will highly likely increasingly rely on echelons of reserve forces. These consist of several distinct components which Russia has almost certainly already started to field. Russia's Combat Army Reserve is a recent innovation of part-time but volunteer reservists, which deploy as whole units typically ear-marked for rear area security tasks," the British Intelligence stated.

Also, British intelligence estimates the capture of Sievierodonetsk by the russian army as a significant achievement. Still, it is only one of many tasks in the stated objective of the russian federation.

"Russia's capture of the city is a significant achievement within this reduced objective. The settlement was a major industrial center, and it occupies a strategic position on the Siverskyi Donets River.

However, it is only one of several challenging objectives Russia will need to achieve to occupy the whole of the Donbas region. These include advancing on the major center of Kramatorsk and securing the main supply routes to Donetsk city," the review said.