Commanding officers on Friday ordered "a controlled withdrawal of troops from Severodonetsk," saying that Ukrainian forces were withdrawing from “broken positions” in Severodonetsk to prevent further personnel losses and maintain a stronger defence elsewhere, the ISW said in its latest analysis of the war in Ukraine.
It quoted a US Pentagon official as saying that Russian forces pushing on Severodonetsk were already showing signs of “wear and tear” and “debilitating morale.”
This "will only further slow Russian offensive operations in Donbas," the ISW said, noting that Russian forces "have been attempting to seize Severodonetsk since at least March 13, exhausting their forces and equipment over three months."
Several Russian generals removed from key positions: UK defence ministry
Meanwhile, the UK defence ministry said in its latest intelligence update that Ukraine was "likely re-configuring its defence of the Severodonetsk-Lysychansk sector."
The update added that Russia "has highly likely removed" several generals from "key operational roles" in the war in Ukraine since the start of June.
The next commander for Russia's Southern Group of Forces is likely to be Colonel-General Sergei Surovikin, whose career "has been dogged with allegations of corruption and brutality," the British Ministry of Defence said.
Saturday is day 122 of Russia's war on Ukraine.
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Source: PAP, understandingwar.org