Svatove may be a vulnerable point on Russian flank in the east, UK analysts reckon

Intense artillery shelling has continued in and around Svatove over the past seven days, the UK Ministry of Defense analysts wrote on Twitter.

Read also: Invaders mine access roads to Svatove and Kreminna, blow-up bridges in Luhansk Oblast

Just as in other sectors of the front line, Russian troops are continuing to construct defensive positions and partly man them with poorly trained mobilized troops, the reports reads.

"With Russia's south-western frontline now more readily defendable along the east bank of the Dnipro River, the Svatove sector is likely now a more vulnerable operational flank of the Russian forces," the latest update reads.

Svatove plays a key role in the occupation Luhansk Oblast, so Russia's commanders likely see maintaining control of it as a high priority. Still, they may struggle with the military realities of maintaining a credible defense while continuing another offensive to the south, in Donetsk Oblast.

Severe shortages of ammunition and trained personnel are limiting the combat capabilities of the Russian invasion force in both defense and offense, UK intelligence concluded.

Read also: Frontline getting closer to major towns in east of Ukraine, says Luhansk Oblast governor

The Ukrainian military’s General Staff earlier reported that the Russian occupying authorities planned to completely evacuate civilians from the towns of Kreminna, Severodonetsk and Rubizhne in Luhansk Oblast.

Ukrainian forces have already liberated 12 settlements in Luhansk Oblast, which was almost completely overrun by Russian invasion forces in the early stages of the full-scale invasion.

Russia had occupied about a third of Luhansk Oblast before launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine