Russia is preparing a new ground offensive in southeastern Ukraine and aims to capture the entirety of the Donbas by September, according to Ukraine’s military intelligence.
Speaking to the Financial Times (FT) last Friday, Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of the Ukrainian military’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), said Moscow is reinforcing its battlefield presence and escalating long-range strikes.
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Skibitsky revealed that Russia is deploying an additional 20,000 troops from its strategic reserve, bringing the total number of Russian forces inside Ukraine to around 680,000.
At the same time, Moscow is intensifying its missile campaign. Russia is producing approximately 60 Iskander missiles per month and has expanded its launcher capacity, increasing pressure on Ukrainian air defenses.
He warned that Ukraine remains short of advanced systems such as the US-made Patriot, leaving critical infrastructure – particularly energy facilities heavily damaged during winter strikes – highly vulnerable.
According to Skibitsky, the growing scale of missile and drone attacks is part of a broader strategy to degrade Ukraine’s infrastructure and shape the battlefield ahead of the planned spring-summer offensive.
The intelligence assessment shared with the FT indicates that Russia’s objective is to seize the entire Donbas region by September.
Skibitsky, who is also involved in Ukraine’s peace negotiations, said these preparations signal that Moscow is not seriously pursuing talks but is instead continuing to prioritize military gains.
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