ISW has identified the direction in which Russia may be preparing a new offensive
Russian troops may be preparing for an upcoming offensive in the Huliaipole sector. According to the ISW, the occupying forces are moving engineering equipment from Mariupol toward Huliaipole and constructing concrete fortifications.
According to analysts, Russian forces have recently been increasingly active in moving engineering and other equipment from occupied Mariupol toward Huliaipole. At the same time, the occupiers are building concrete fortifications along the Huliaipole–Pologi line. The ISW reported this, citing the head of the Ukrainian Center for the Study of the Occupation, Petro Andriushchenko, a former advisor to the mayor of Mariupol. According to him, the Russians are using a significant amount of engineering and other equipment to build the fortifications.
The ISW notes that such actions may indicate that Russia is preparing for offensive operations in the near future. At the same time, on August 29–30, Russian troops continued to attack in the Hulyaypole sector but made no confirmed advances there. The occupiers are simultaneously continuing offensive operations and constructing new fortifications in this sector. The movement of engineering equipment and the construction of concrete fortifications may be part of preparations for a change in the nature of combat operations in the Huliaipole area.
The Huliaipole sector is of critical importance to Russian plans in southern Ukraine. The ISW report notes that one of the objectives of Russian forces on the southern axis is to hold positions in this area and advance within the range of tube artillery toward Zaporizhzhia.
At the same time, there is currently no confirmation that Russia has already decided to launch a new large-scale offensive specifically in the Huliaipole sector. The ISW suggests possible preparations for future offensive operations in light of the observed movement of military equipment and the construction of fortifications.
As a reminder, the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed a Russian sabotage group near Orikhiv.
Earlier, Russian forces struck a mine in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
As a reminder, the Russians carried out 30 strikes on the Sumy region over the past 24 hours.
Russian strikes on the Kyiv region wounded four people.
Earlier that day, on August 30, Russian forces attacked Kyiv with strike drones. Explosions were heard in the capital, and air defense forces engaged enemy targets.
