Fighting rages in east over critical supply routes
Russian troops mounted a fierce assault on Ukrainian forces Saturday in an effort to dislodge them from critical positions in eastern Ukraine, with Moscow seeking to protect vital supply routes and both armies jockeying for position in anticipation of new offensive campaigns.
Russia has been trying for months to break through well-fortified Ukrainian defensive positions across the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, throwing wave after wave of soldiers into the fight and suffering heavy casualties but making few territorial gains.
Those efforts have taken on greater urgency as Western and Ukrainian officials warn that Moscow plans to launch a large-scale assault aimed at regaining the upper hand, nearly a year after Russia invaded Ukraine. Military experts and Western officials say they also believe that Ukraine will try to mount an offensive of its own to drive Russia out of occupied areas in the east.
“It is no secret that they are preparing for a new wave by Feb. 24,” Oleksiy Danilov, head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, told Radio Liberty on Friday, referring to Russian forces and what will be the anniversary of their full-scale invasion. Moscow's immediate goal, he said, is to capture the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions and then “to completely go beyond the borders of the regions.”
President Vladimir Putin of Russia this month abruptly replaced the top commander of Russia's war effort with Gen. Valery Gerasimov, who U.S. officials believe secured the top job by vowing to go on the attack, with an initial goal of gaining ground quickly in the east.