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UK Defense Ministry: Russia redeploying troops from Dnipro River to Zaporizhzhia, Bakhmut sectors

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Russian soldiers patrol a street in occupied Melitopol on May 1, 2022. (Getty Images)
Russian soldiers patrol a street in occupied Melitopol on May 1, 2022. (Getty Images)

Over the past 10 days, Russia has started relocating forces from the eastern bank of the Dnipro River to reinforce the Zaporizhzhia and Bakhmut sectors, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on June 19.

Moscow likely believes that an attack over the Dnipro River is less likely after the flooding caused by the Kakhovka dam destruction on June 6, the ministry wrote.

According to the report, the redeployment likely involves parts of the Dnipro Group of Forces (DGF), including thousands of troops from the 34th Separate Motorized Brigade, Airborne Forces (VDV), and Naval Infantry units.

Heavy hostilities are taking place in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and around Bakhmut as part of Ukraine's counteroffensive.

Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported on June 15 that Russian forces are redeploying from southern sectors to the Bakhmut area.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the village of Piatykhatky was recently confirmed as liberated, making it the eighth settlement to be regained in the counteroffensive.

Counteroffensive underway: ‘We overestimated Russians and underestimated ourselves’
Editor’s Note: The Kyiv Independent introduces soldiers interviewed for the story by their first names or callsigns due to security reasons. DONETSK OBLAST – Islam’s mind was empty of thoughts and feelings as he crawled carefully towards the Russian trenches near Siversk, with grenades prepared. “…
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Martin Fornusek

Senior News Editor

Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.

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