London confirms Russian advances in Kharkiv and says Moscow seeks to use the Oskil River as a “defensive barrier”

September 23 () –

British intelligence services confirmed on Monday new advances by Russian troops in the eastern Ukrainian province of Kharkiv and said that Moscow is seeking to use the Oskil River as a “natural defensive barrier” for new operations in the area.

The British Ministry of Defence said in a statement that “Russian forces have managed to advance in a westerly direction from the town of Poshchane” and added that “they now occupy a small 3.5-kilometre salient from the Oskil River”.

However, they have stressed that “the main efforts of the Russian forces remain focused on Pokrovsk, in eastern Ukraine” and have acknowledged that “it is very likely” that the Russian Army has taken two other towns in the vicinity of that city.

“Russian forces remain within about eight kilometres of Pokrovsk. Ukrainian reinforcements, urban areas and Ukrainian defences have likely contributed to slowing the Russian advance on this axis over the past week,” they concluded.