Russians likely to try to surround Ukrainian positions in Lysychansk before attack on Slovyansk — ISW

The Russians are more likely to focus on the encirclement of Lysychansk than on the storming of Slovyansk. However, the occupying forces will need time to recover, and then begin advancing on Slovyansk in the event of assuming control of the cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. This is stated in the latest report of the Institute for the Study of War released on June 24.

The analysts say that Ukrainian troops are occupying positions on a higher ground in Lysychansk, which may allow the Armed Forces to repel Russian attacks for some time if the occupiers fail to surround the defense forces.

Analysts note that Russian troops in Severodonetsk will have to cross the river from the east, which will require additional time and effort.

The ISW noted that the occupiers had focused their efforts on preventing the advance of the Armed Forces to the Ukrainian border so that Ukrainian troops would not become a threat to the Russians operating in the Izyum-Slovyansk area.

Researchers say that Ukrainian partisans are complicating Russia's efforts to establish local occupation administrations in the temporarily occupied territories, particularly in the Kherson Oblast.

The situation at the front

On June 24, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that Ukrainian defenders had successfully repulsed an assault on the southern outskirts of Lysychansk on the Severodonetsk axis. The enemy with the support of artillery launched an assault in the direction of Vovchoyarivka, as the fighting continues.

On the Pivdennyi Buh axis, the enemy is concentrating its main efforts on maintaining the previously occupied frontiers. Due to the successful offensive actions of Ukrainian units, part of the enemy forces fled from the fortified defensive positions in the area of ​​the settlement of Olhine, in the Beryslav district of the Kherson Oblast.