British intelligence: maintaining control over Crimea is Russia's main political priority ahead of Ukraine's counteroffensive 

This is reported by the UK Ministry of Defense.

The British intelligence report also notes that fierce fighting continues in the south of Ukraine. However, in recent weeks, Russia has continued to make significant efforts to build defensive lines deep in the rear, especially on the approaches to the temporarily occupied Crimea.

According to the British Ministry of Defence, this includes a large defense strip 9 km long, 3.5 km north of Armyansk, on a narrow land isthmus connecting Crimea with the Kherson region.

"These elaborate defenses highlight the Russian command’s assessment that Ukrainian forces are capable of directly assaulting Crimea. Russia continues to see maintaining control of the peninsula as a top political priority," British intelligence emphasizes.

• On June 18, it was reported that the Ukrainian military continues to conduct counteroffensive actions, while the Russian army suffers the biggest losses since March.

• On June 19, the British Ministry of Defense announced that the Russian army took advantage of the explosion of the Kakhovka HPP in order to redeploy and strengthen other directions, in particular, Zaporizhzhia and Bakhmut.