Izyum direction will be crucial for Russian attack — military expert Zgurets

He stated this during an Espreso TV channel broadcast.

"There are 320 000 Russian soldiers together with reserves. I do not see how the enemy would manage to carry out large-scale offensives in several directions. The concentration of Russian forces along the Svatove-Kreminna line and the Izyum direction will be crucial for the Russian attack. They will try to bite off at least some part of the territories, and then proceed to defense," Zgurets noted.

According to the expert, in late February, the enemy will be attempting to achieve local successes on the frontline. "The window of opportunity before muddy spring starts and it gets difficult to advance is very short. During the weeks until it warms up, the enemy will try to advance and achieve local successes, and then they will try to hold the corridor to Crimea and initiate negotiations. The new Russian offensive has already begun, but it is slow. The Russians have accumulated the forces, but it’s not enough to drastically change the situation on the frontline," Zgurets said.

• On February 6, the Financial Times wrote that Russia intends to launch another large-scale offensive to seize Donbas within the next 10 days. The Russian Federation is also building up its troops in the Donetsk region, sending additional forces to the Mariupol area.

• British Intelligence reports that conditions for an offensive on the Russian-Ukrainian front are likely to be at their worst in mid-late March.