Major Ukrainian ‘breakthrough’ in the south will ‘seriously challenge Russia’s land bridge with Crimea’

Russian troops are bolstering their defences in southern Ukraine on the frontline which stretches for around 800 miles.

Ukrainian forces are eyeing up a strategic breakthrough in the Zaporizhzhia region which would “seriously challenge” Russia’s land bridge with Crimea.

The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has suggested that Russian forces are building up their fortifications in the Zaporizhzhia region as it is expected that fierce fighting will take place, especially near to the town of Tarasivka.

The MoD said in their daily update that Russia clearly “remains concerned about guarding the extremities of its extended front line.”

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The MoD statement added, “This is demonstrated by continued construction of defensive fortifications in Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk oblasts and deployments of personnel.

“Russia’s front line in Ukraine amounts to approximately 1,288 km with the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia oblast frontline at 192 km.

“A major Ukrainian breakthrough in Zaporizhzhia would seriously challenge the viability of Russia’s ‘land bridge’ linking Russia’s Rostov region and Crimea; Ukrainian success in Luhansk would further undermine Russia’s professed war aim of ‘liberating’ the Donbas.

“Deciding which of these threats to prioritise countering is likely one of the central dilemmas for Russian operational planners.”

Russia have also “suffered” their “highest rate of casualties since the first week of the invasion” which started on 24 February 2022.

This is yet another huge blow for Vladimir Putin as he is suffering 824 casualties per day, which is more than four times what was reported on June and July last year.

The MoD said, “Over the past two weeks, Russia has likely suffered its highest rate of casualties since the first week of the invasion of Ukraine.

“The Ukrainian General Staff release daily statistics on Russian casualties. Although Defence Intelligence cannot verify Ukraine’s methodology, the trends the data illustrate are likely accurate.

“The mean average for the last seven days was 824 casualties per day, over four times the rate reported over June-July 2022.

“Ukraine also continues to suffer a high attrition rate.

“The uptick in Russian casualties is likely due to a range of factors including lack of trained personnel, coordination, and resources across the front – this is exemplified in Vuhledar and Bakhmut.”