Ukraine troops have managed to repel Russian attacks since Lysychansk fell: UK intel

Ukrainian armed forces have been successful in repelling Russian assaults since Lysychansk in eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk h fallen to inving Russian troops, UK Defense Ministry claimed in its intelligence update on July 16. Russia has been able to make only "premature and false claims" that it entered town of Siversk earlier this week although Russian offensive remains reduced in scope and scale, intelligence update re. Since a fierce battle has been raging in western Donbass region, Ukrainian troops also h to retreat from  strategic city of Severodonetsk in Luhansk as Russians continued to push ir vancement deeper into Ukrainian towns. 

 United Kingdom h also iterated that capturing region of Lysychansk will give Moscow a significant boost in its goal of 'liberating' all of contentious Donbass area. In intelligence update, UK's defense ministry h informed that Russia has been rapidly expanding its control over "virtually all of territory of Luhansk" as a result of its relative capture of city of Lysychansk. ministry in its latest intel has ted that Moscow has been making "false claims" about its troops making combat progress in order to "boost morale" of its forces and "to sell war better to Russian public." 

Russia's military operation 'reduced in scope and scale': UK intel 

Russia's military operations in Ukraine have since "reduced in scope and scale" and  fighting was focused on western part of city of Lysychansk that Moscow captured particularly in towns of Siversk and Bakhmut, UK defense ministry said in  intelligence update. "This is despite Russian claims to have entered outskirts of Siversk town earlier in week," defense officials iterated. 

"Russia has previously me premature and false claims of success" and this was "likely at least in part aimed at demonstrating success to domestic audiences and to reinforce morale of fighting forces," update furr continued. 

UK's Defense Ministry stressed that Ukrainian forces have mand to push back inving Russian soldiers even as  defensive line has been "shortened and straightened." "This has allowed for concentration of force and fires against reduced Russian attacks and has been instrumental in reducing Russia's momentum," ministry ded. In Moscow, Putin h held a meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu wherein he pledged to reward all Russian and Luhansk territory servicemen who achieved victory in operation. Russia's military units of "Centre" and Sourn grouping of Lysychansk must pause ir combat capabilities, Putin h emphasised.  "West" and "East" groups, meanwhile, continue ir actions according to plan, he iterated, stressing that his combat troops h needed rest before resuming operations on a rmal scale.