Kremlin sources have reported that Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu that he has until “early October” to “stop Ukrainian counteroffensive.”
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) cited a Kremlin “insider” that Putin was Russian forces to launch a serious offensive against Ukraine’s larger cities such as Kherson, Odessa, Kharkiv, or Dnepropetrovsk.
The insider cited the Telegram channel called Kremlin Secrets that Putin has ordered Shoigu “to improve the situation on the frontlines, stop Ukrainian counteroffensives, and have Russian forces regain the initiative to launch an offensive operation against a larger city.”
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The ISW previously said in a statement, “observed instances in which [Russia‘s ministry of defense], fearing the imminent loss of Putin’s favor, intensified its efforts to purge commanders who offered honest but negative views and advice and pursued unachievable military objectives at the expense of Russian forces.”
A former Russian general accused Shoigu of treason in July and said he was removed from his command post after raising the issues his troops were facing on the battlefield.
Former general, Ivan Popov, said in a Telegram message he raised the issues over “the lack of counter-battery combat, the absence of artillery reconnaissance stations, and the mass deaths and injuries of our brothers from enemy artillery.”
Putin’s demands may not be met as Ukraine has warned that they are about to step up their counteroffensive.
Russia has been warned that Ukrainian forces largest “counteroffensive is yet to come” and operations are heading to Melitopol.
The commander of the Tavria operational-strategic group of troops, Oleksandr Tarnavsky, said in an interview with CNN that the greatest breakthrough of Ukraine’s counteroffensive is yet to come.
Tarnavsky said, “Tokmak is the minimum goal. The overall objective is to get to our state borders.”
Tarnavsky added, “I think it will happen after Tokmak. At the moment they are relying on the depth of their defensive line there.”
However, this said Russia’s 58th Combined Arms Army who are holed up in Tokmak have been making tactical progress.
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