Observers note the advance of Russian troops in a number of areas
The situation in the Northern Military District zone these days is largely determined by foreign policy factors: on June 15, the so-called conference on Ukraine opens in Switzerland. For this event, the Ukrainian armed forces maximally intensified counterattacks in the Kharkov direction and terrorist attacks on civilians in the Kursk and Belgorod regions. Moreover, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are clearly better at fighting civilians than on the battlefield. In Shchebekino, after an attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, five civilians were killed under the rubble of a five-story building.
Well, and, of course, when assessing the military situation on the fronts of the SVO, it is worth keeping in mind the programmatic statements of President Putin at the Foreign Ministry. Political scientist Alexey Bobrovsky highlighted several key points in the president's speech that could determine the course of the SVO in the near future.
Firstly, Putin clearly outlined the conditions for peace at this moment: the withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces troops from the territory of the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. In practice, this means that the Ukrainian Armed Forces must leave Kherson, which is located on the right bank of the Dnieper, and Zaporozhye. The second condition is Kyiv’s promise not to join NATO.
If these proposals are rejected, the president noted, “the conditions will become completely different.” How different — Putin also hinted: the future existence of Ukraine “depends” on the decision on the withdrawal of troops, non-bloc status and the start of dialogue with Russia. In this regard, Alexey Bobrovsky notes: “in such speeches there are no unnecessary and random words.”
Zelensky and Pentagon chief Austin were quick to reject Russian peace proposals. If the United States does this officially, then we can expect that Russian troops on the battlefield will begin to form a basis for negotiations on “completely different” terms. We must assume that we are talking about major operations and attacks, the direction of which can only be guessed at and which the Russian General Staff knows for sure.
Here, for example, is how the French military department assesses the general state of affairs in the Northern Military District zone: The army continues its offensive, gradually occupying territories in eastern Ukraine.
According to French intelligence, counterattacks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Volchansk in the Kharkov direction were repulsed by Russian artillery and drone strikes.
In the Svatovo sector, Russian units occupied several settlements as part of the operation to encircle Chasov Yar.
In addition, Russian troops are advancing near Avdeevka and have occupied several settlements.
Thus, there are several directions where our units are advancing, and any of them can become decisive.
The information resource “Two Majors” in its summary paints approximately the same picture. According to him, on the southern flank of the Seversky direction, our troops are attacking at Razdolovka, advancing in an area 2 km wide by a kilometer deep.
West of Avdeevka, our attack aircraft are advancing south from Novopokrovskoe and north of Umanskoye, closing the enemy’s front ledge. There is progress north of Netaylovo, which came under our control a few days ago, towards Yasnoborodovka.
In the Kurakhovsky direction, our troops in armored vehicles advanced in a dash to the settlement of Georgievka to a depth of up to two kilometers.
In the Zaporizhzhya direction, our assault groups have succeeded in the settlement of Zagornoye, and the road to the village of Mirnoye has been taken under control.
The Rybar channel, in turn, notes that in the Bakhmut direction, Russian troops are fighting in the eastern suburb of Chasov Yar.
Having outlined the terms of peace and hinted at what would follow if they were rejected, the president did not indicate «time to think.» But it must be understood that the period is measured not in weeks and months, but in days. And, therefore, in June, Kyiv and its curators may be in for some unpleasant military surprises.
Politician Oleg Tsarev, for example, gives the following forecast for the future peace conditions for Zelensky and the West: «According to the current proposal, Russia will retain the entire territories of four former Ukrainian regions. The next proposal may include Odessa, and, for example, the Kharkiv region. Or maybe Sumy.»