russian forces only prepared to undertake limited local assaults – UK intelligence

Russian forces are only prepared to undertake limited local assaults, but in the coming months the initiative on the front will go whichever side manages to generate a credible force for offensive operations.

The UK Ministry of Defense said this in its latest intelligence update published on Twitter.

"It is unlikely that the situation will significantly change in the next week. Russian forces are, for now, probably only prepared to undertake limited local assaults, rarely involving more than a company of troops. However, over the coming months the initiative will go to whichever side manages to generate a credible, committed force for offensive operations," the report says.

It is noted that the last week has seen only minimal changes in territorial control along the front line. In Luhansk and Donetsk regions, after small advances from early August, Russian forces have approached the outskirts of the town of Bakhmut, but have not yet broken into the built-up area.

"Russia has not made any major efforts to advance in the Zaporizhzhia or Kharkiv sectors. In the south-west, neither Ukrainian nor Russian forces have made advances on the Kherson front line," the report says.

However, the UK ministry said that increasingly frequent explosions behind Russian lines are probably stressing Russian logistics and air basing in the south

On August 19, Russian troops shelled six regions of Ukraine. In Kherson region, the enemy is trying to withdraw the hryvnia from circulation and is seizing payment terminals.