The occupiers will focus efforts in the direction of Bakhmut and around Donetsk - isw

Russian invaders (photos: Reuters/Alexander Ermochenko) Russian troops will focus on the offensive on Bakhmut and around Donetsk at the expense of efforts to take Siversk and Slavyansk. About it writes the American Institute of War Study (ISW). Analysts say that the Russian command is probably trying to use recent achievements in the Novolugansky area to click on Bakhmut from the East. Their efforts around Donetsk are likely to displace the Ukrainian forces from the artillery zone of the city.

They can also aim as possible positions in the Donetsk region to the planned "referendums" in September. At the same time, ISW points out that it is very unlikely that Russian offensive operations will end with Bakhmut's admiration or achievement of success west of Donetsk, even if they can take the cities of Avdiivka and Sands.

The Institute also writes that neither Russia nor Ukraine provided new evidence for the cause and responsibility for the death of Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Olenev colony in the occupied Donetsk region. Russian officials have increased the number of dead to 50 people and published a list of dead prisoners of war. Ukrainian officials have stated that they could not check the list currently and called for international investigation.

"ISW cannot confirm the nature and cause of the incident, although it is more likely that responsibility for this is in the Russian forces," analysts said. Key conclusions of the analysts of the Institute: Satellite photos with geolocation showed the extension of the Russian army between June 19 to July 28 in the Uzuza Belgorod region, 12 km east of the border.

It is noted that Russian troops may increase the number of military equipment in the area to support the offensive from Izium to the west, since the accumulation is only 55 km northeast of Russian land lines with raisins and with settlements south of Kharkiv.