Russian forces allegedly preparing major assault toward Siversk in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine's military says
Russia is expected to launch new assaults toward the city of Siversk in Donetsk Oblast in an effort to establish a foothold in the area, Dmytro Zaporozhets, a spokesman of the 11th Army Corps, told Suspilne on Sept. 1.
Russian forces advanced in Donetsk Oblast over the summer, focusing their main efforts around the cities of Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka while pushing toward Dobropillia. Yet, Russia failed to consolidate its positions or achieve significant territorial gains, capturing only a handful of small rural settlements.
Siversk, Russia's new potential target, lies about 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of the occupied village of Verkhniokamianske in Donetsk Oblast.
According to the local military administration, the town's population has dropped twentyfold since the start of the Russian invasion. As of this summer, only around 400 residents remained.
"In the Siversk direction, the enemy will continue attempting assault operations using (heavy) equipment until the autumn rains begin. We expect another large-scale assault," Zaporozhets said.
Russian forces aim to secure a foothold near Siversk before the weather turns, allowing them to either fight for control of the city or bypass it during the winter, the spokesperson added.
Meanwhile, the number of Russian artillery strikes in the nearby Lyman direction near the Serebrianskyi Forest has risen to 200 per day, according to Zaporozhets. He said the intensified shelling north of Siversk is allowing Russian forces to advance by destroying Ukrainian positions with artillery.
"The scale of artillery shelling in this area has recently increased almost threefold. If there used to be 80-90 shelling per day, today there can be 190 or 200," the spokesperson said.
