Trehubov explains why Russians want to capture Lyman
The Lyman direction remains a primary objective for the enemy. At the same time, Russian forces are attempting to create a control zone along the border with Ukraine to prevent Ukrainian drones from reaching Russian territory.
According to Ukrinform, Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for the Joint Forces grouping, stated this during a TV broadcast.
"The main and most relevant objective for the enemy is Lyman. Lyman has long been a target because their long-term goal is to reach the northern outskirts of the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration. To do this, they need to capture Lyman and then advance further toward Raihorodok. From there, they would directly move on to the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration, but for years the enemy has failed to achieve this," Trehubov said.
Other settlements, he noted, either serve as supporting directions for this offensive, such as Kupiansk, or are part of another objective, creating a control zone along the Ukrainian-Russian border.
"For example, the city of Vovchansk, and in general small settlements near the border, which they needed to capture in their initial plan to create a zone that would prevent a repeat of the Kursk operation, and ideally would prevent Ukrainian drones from reaching Belgorod, Bryansk, and so on," Trehubov explained.
He added that Russian offensives toward Kupiansk from the north and east have been unsuccessful, where they are trying to reduce the Ukrainian bridgehead on the left bank of the Oskil River.
"Both offensives are unsuccessful because after the Russians withdrew from the city, and their organized presence there was effectively eliminated, a zone was formed around the city that they currently cannot penetrate. Pishchane is one of the key points in their plans, but they are being destroyed before reaching Kupiansk," he said.
According to Trehubov, Russian forces may approach settlements but fail to enter them.
"Russians cannot achieve their goals but are losing personnel," he noted. The enemy is hardly using equipment, relying mainly on infantry or combinations of infantry and drones. Any equipment entering the "kill zone" is destroyed, so over the past year they have used it sparingly, instead resorting to infiltration tactics with small infantry groups.
"This is the only tactic that, in principle, could still work at this stage of the war. Although, to be honest, even it is now starting to fail, at least in those sections of the front where drone operations are effectively organized and the enemy is destroyed before reaching positions," Trehubov said.
As previously reported, Trehubov stated that Russian forces are unable to regain positions not only in Kupiansk itself, which they once held, but also in areas near the city.