UK confirms Russian troop advances near Kreminna town in eastern Ukraine

March 23 () –

The intelligence services of the United Kingdom have confirmed this Thursday advances of the Russian forces in the surroundings of the Ukrainian town of Kreminna (east) and have pointed out that Moscow “probably tries to expand a security zone to the west of the defensive lines”.

“Since the beginning of March there has been heavy fighting in parts of the Svatove sector and Kreminna, on the front line in the north of the Lugansk region. Russia has gained partial control of the surroundings of Kreminna, which was under immediate threat of Ukraine at the beginning of the year”, they have pointed out.

Thus, they have stressed that “in some areas, Russia has made advances of several kilometers” and have added that “Russian commanders are probably trying to expand the security zone to the west of the defense lines that they have prepared in high areas and integrate the natural obstacle of the Oskil river”, according to a series of messages published by the British Ministry of Defense through its account on the social network Twitter.

Along these lines, they have explained that the Russian troops “probably seek to recapture Kupiansk, a logistical hub.” “In the operational framework, Russia’s intentions in the northeast are probably still defensive. Commanders probably fear that it is one of the sectors where Ukraine can attempt large-scale offensive operations,” they have settled.

The town of Kupiansk, located in the Kharkov region, was recaptured in September 2022 by Ukrainian troops as part of a counteroffensive launched at the end of August in Kharkov and Kherson that allowed Kiev to regain control of important areas in these provinces. .