Major Russian breakthrough in Marinka remains unlikely – UK intelligence

Heavy fighting for control of the wiped-out town of Marinka and its outskirts is still ongoing.

While Russian sources claim to have the town completely captured, the UK intelligence report says otherwise.

The intelligence believes that Russia has further reduced the small areas of territory within the city that Ukrainian troops control. One of Russia's operational objectives will likely be to protect highways 00510 and N15 and eventually move further west toward the town of Kurakhove.

"Despite gradual successes, a major and operationally significant Russian breakthrough in this sector remains extremely unlikely," the report states.

Being close to the occupied Donetsk since 2014,  fierce fighting unraveled on the day of Russia's all-out invasion. During this time, the entire infrastructure of the town was completely destroyed.

In early December, British intelligence reported that Russian troops were gradually advancing through the ruins of Marinka, now appearing to control most of the built-up area.

The UK analysts claim that the Russian army now controls most of the city's buildings, with small areas on the western outskirts remaining under the control of Ukrainian forces. British experts add that the current Russian operations are part of the autumn offensive, the priority of which is to expand control over the rest of the Donetsk region.

In a previous report, the UK MoD reported that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has lost more than 300,000 troops, though even Kremlin officials do not know the exact number of dead.

Russian forces have been trying to capture the town of Avdiivka for almost two months since the beginning of October. The UK intelligence noted that the Russian army suffered heavy losses near Avdiivka, but reached no significant progress in three frontline areas.