Vladimir Putin’s forces are losing firepower allowing Ukrainian troops to seize back large parts of the city of Severodonetsk which was on the brink of being captured, military experts said on Monday.
The Institute For The Study of War highlighted “vulnerabilities” being created among Mr Putin’s “defensive efforts” as more of his troops are drawn towards key battles in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine.
In its latest briefing on the conflict, the Washington-based think tank said: “Ukrainian forces continued to conduct limited and localised but successful counterattacks against Russian positions throughout Ukraine on June 5 (Sunday), including retaking large areas of Severodonetsk—the city in Luhansk Oblast (province) the Kremlin has concentrated the majority of its forces on capturing.
“Ukrainian counteroffensive pressure will likely continue to draw the attention of Russian forces to Luhansk Oblast and therefore leave vulnerabilities in Russian defensive efforts in Kharkiv Oblast and along the Southern Axis.
“The ability of Ukrainian forces to successfully counterattack in Severodonetsk, the Kremlin’s current priority area of operations, further indicates the declining combat power of Russian forces in Ukraine.”
Speculation is rife that the Russian military is running low on key artillery shells with which to bombard the city.
The ISW added: “A Russian Telegram channel claimed that Ukrainian troops launched a counterattack north of Kharkiv City, indicating that Ukrainian forces continue to pressure Russian defensive lines near the Russian border.
“Ukrainian forces are likely seeking to leverage the continued Russian focus on Severodonetsk to conduct counterattacks on other axes of advance.”
Meanwhile Britain announced on Monday that it will supply Ukraine with multiple-launch rocket systems that can strike targets up to 50 miles away, in a move that was coordinated with America in response to Russia’s invasion.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said Britain’s support for Ukraine would change as Russia’s tactics evolved, explaining the gift of the M270 multiple-launch systems, believed to be three being despatched at least initially.
“These highly capable multiple-launch rocket systems will enable our Ukrainian friends to better protect themselves against the brutal use of long-range artillery, which (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s forces have used indiscriminately to flatten cities,” Mr Wallace said.
US President Joe Biden last week said Washington would supply Ukraine with M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, after he received assurances from Kyiv that it would not be used to hit targets inside Russian territory.
Mr Putin said the arms shipments were “nothing new” but warned that there would be a response if the United States supplied longer-range munitions for the HIMARS systems, with the first attacks on Kyiv for weeks over the weekend.
The US Department of Defence said it was supplying Ukraine four M142 HIMARS systems along with the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System that it said had a range of over 40 miles.
Britain said Ukrainian troops would be trained on how to use the new launchers in the UK, after it previously announced that it would train Ukrainian personnel to use armoured vehicles.
In its latest intelligence update, the Ministry of Defence in London said: “In the early hours of 5 June, Russian Kh-101 air-launched cruise missiles struck rail infrastructure in Kyiv, likely in an attempt disrupt the supply of Western military equipment to frontline Ukrainian units.
“In the Donbas, heavy fighting continues in the contested town of Sieverodonetsk and Russian forces continue to push towards Sloviansk as part of their attempted encirclement of Ukrainian forces.”
It added: “At sea, following the loss of the cruiser Moskva in April, Russian forces have likely moved multiple air defence assets to Snake Island in the western Black Sea, including SA-15 and SA-22 systems.
“It is likely these weapons are intended to provide air defence for Russian naval vessels operating around Snake Island.
“Russia’s activity on Snake Island contributes to its blockade of the Ukrainian coast and hinders the resumption of maritime trade, including exports of Ukrainian grain.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his late night address to the nation that he had visited two towns near the front of battles against the Russian army after meeting troops in Zaporizhzhya region.
“After that I went with the head of (my) office to the east. We were in Lysychansk and Soledar,” he said.
“I am proud of everybody I met, everyone I shook hands with, everyone with whom I connected with and had expressed my support.”
