Russians focus efforts mostly on Kupiansk sector – Maliar

The relevant statement was made by Ukrainian Defense Deputy Minister Hanna Maliar during a nationwide telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Most of their forces are now concentrated in the Kupiansk direction. And, by the way, one of the objectives they have set is to recapture the territories that we liberated last autumn. For them, it is now important, both in terms of morale and in military terms,” Maliar told.

In her words, Russians are redeploying huge forces to the Bakhmut direction.

“There, you remember we always spoke of advancing on the flanks around Bakhmut, because it was important for us to capture the commanding heights. On the southern flank, we are slowly but consistently and confidently moving forward. As for the northern flank, the enemy is launching attacks there and making attempts to recapture the heights that we have established control over, and very fierce battles are raging now,” Maliar noted.

Commenting on the overnight explosions near Crimea’s Feodosia, Maliar mentioned that the Ukrainian Defense Ministry is monitoring the situation in the temporarily occupied areas.

“It is worth noting that the instability happening there is absolutely predictable, as the war continues, and our strategic plans are, after all, to liberate all of our territories,” Maliar stressed.

A reminder that the Main Intelligence Directorate at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry warned earlier that, as long as Russian troops stay within the Crimean Peninsula, explosions would only intensify there.