For a long time, experts and observers have assumed that Russia will launch another major attack on Ukraine.

Ukraine believes such an offensive is still possible this month, as Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said: For symbolic reasons, Russia will probably strike around the anniversary of the start of the invasion on February 24, Reznikov said – but at the same time qualified: From a military point of view, the Russian reserves would not be ready for this.

By the time the expected attack begins, not all of the weapons promised by Western partners will likely arrive in Ukraine, Reznikov said. But his country has reserves to stop the Russian advance.

Meanwhile, the situation in eastern Ukraine is getting worse: According to British military experts, the embattled city of Bakhmut is being encircled by Russian troops. This emerges from the daily intelligence update on the Ukraine war from the Ministry of Defense in London.

Accordingly, the two most important access roads to the city in Donetsk Oblast are now directly threatened by Russian fire – Wagner mercenaries are controlling another road. “Although several alternative overland supply routes are available to Ukrainian troops, Bakhmut is increasingly isolated,” the statement said.

The British Ministry of Defense has published daily information on the course of the war since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, citing intelligence information.

Meanwhile, in his daily video message, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also admitted that the situation in the east was getting worse. “During the 346 days of this war, I have often said that the situation at the front is difficult and that it is getting more and more difficult,” Zelenskyj said.

“Now we are at such a point again. A point where the occupiers are increasingly mobilizing their forces to breach our defences,” Zelenskyy added. The situation in “Bakhmut, Wuhledar, Lyman and other regions” is problematic.

Image by Wikimedia (The Presidential Office of Ukraine)/Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)