In its latest intelligence update about the prevailing situation in Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom's Defence Ministry claimed that the ongoing ravaging war between Russia and Ukraine is set to enter a "new phase." Stating this, the ministry referred to the intense fighting which has shifted towards a 350 km front line stretch from near Zaporizhzhya to Kherson in the southwest region. It also claimed that Russian forces are mobilising in the south in preparation for a potential attack or in anticipation of a counter-offensive from Ukraine. 

According to the UK Defence Ministry, extensive convoys of Russian military vehicles, including trucks, tanks, towed artillery, and other armaments, have started moving towards the southwestern region from Donbas in Ukraine. "Equipment was also reported to be moving from Russian-occupied Melitopol, Berdiansk, Mariupol and from mainland Russia via the Kerch Bridge into Crimea. Battalion tactical groups (BTG), which comprise between 800 and 1,000 troops, have been deployed to Crimea and would almost certainly be used to support Russian troops in the Kherson region," the Ministry noted. 

Russia might deploy BTGs to Kherson region: UK MoD

The UK Ministry further claimed that a new BTG was deployed to Crimea on August 2 and BTGs from the Eastern Grouping of Forces are also being deployed in the region. It is further anticipated that Russia might deploy these BTGs to the Kherson region in near future. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are concentrating their attacks on ammunition storage facilities, bridges and rail links with growing frequency in the country's southern parts. 

Additionally, Ukrainian soldiers are also focusing on a crucial railroad bridge that connects Kherson to the Russian-occupied Crimea. "They are almost certainly using a combination of block, damage, degrade, deny, destroy, and disrupt effects to try to affect Russia’s ability to logistically resupply," the UK Defence Ministry claimed. 

Russia's 'openly terroristic' war against Ukraine is not justifiable: Zelenskyy

Earlier on July 23, the UK's MoD claimed that Russian forces are using artillery in an attempt to slow Ukraine’s counter-offensive in Kherson. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that nothing can justify Russia's "openly terroristic" war against his country. During his routine nightly address on August 4, the embattled President stressed that Putin's decision to attack its neighbouring country is "unprovoked as well as invasive."

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