On Ukraine’s southern front, Ukrainian troops are consolidating their positions and regrouping in northern Kherson Oblast after making significant gains over the past 48 hours, while Russian forces are scrambling to recover from the Ukrainian army’s surge, the Institute for the Study of War said in its latest assessment of the conflict.

The Southern Operational Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces liberated Lyubimivka, Khreshchenivka, Zolta Balka, Bilyaivka, Ukrainka, Velika Oleksandrivka, Mala Oleksandrivka and Davidiv Brid, according to ISW also on Tuesday.

The General Staff of Ukraine claims that recent Ukrainian successes are forcing Russian troops to evacuate the wounded at checkpoints on the Dnieper.

Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command also said Russian forces were destroying their own ammunition stocks as they withdrew, most likely to prevent Ukrainian forces from seizing ammunition and equipment during the advance, as happened after a disorderly withdrawal triggered by a lightning counteroffensive by the Ukrainian army. in the Kharkiv region.

At the time, Russian military bloggers criticized the Russian withdrawal, during which much of the enemy’s equipment and ammunition was abandoned and seized by Ukrainian forces.

Several Russian media bloggers reported that Ukrainian troops were preparing to launch an offensive on Wednesday west and northwest of the city of Kherson, 25-35 km away, while other Russian sources reported that fighting was also taking place in the northeast.

The Ukrainian army seeks to surround the city of Kherson

Russian bloggers tried to reinforce claims that Russian troops had completely withdrawn from Snigurivka, but they were refuted by the head of the Mykolaiv region, Vitaly Kim, who said that Russian army officers had left the city, but Russian soldiers remained.

Based on these conflicting reports, it is highly likely that the Russian command will withdraw from Snigurivka in anticipation of Ukrainian attacks, but the core of the Russian contingent remains in the city.

Russian sources appear to be focusing on Ukrainian activity northwest of the city of Kherson due to fears that Ukrainian forces are setting the stage for an advance directly into the city of Kherson, the first major city captured by the Russian military in early March, shortly after the invasion began.

The capture of Snigurivka by Ukrainian troops would give them an advantage due to the location of the city on the western bank of the Ingulets River, which would contribute to the encirclement of Kherson.

The Ukrainian military continues to strike at logistical, transport and command facilities of the Russian Federation, as well as at areas of concentration in the territory of the Kherson region.

Geolocated images show the aftermath of the Ukrainian attack on a hotel in the city of Kherson, where employees of the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia were allegedly staying.

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Information about the war in Ukraine for Thursday LIVE on Hotnews.ro