Russia puts pressure along entire front to prevent Ukraine from seizing battlefield initiative - ISW

This is stated in the report of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The expansion of the defense zone of the Central Group of Forces indicates that the Russian military command can assess the unlikelihood of a rapid tactical advance in the Avdiivka area, analysts say.  

They do not yet understand whether this possible assessment is based on the reduction of Ukraine's material and manpower constraints or specifically on the assessment of the inability of the Central Group of Forces to fulfill its tasks.

Military experts say that the area of responsibility, which stretches from southwest of Donetsk to Toretsk, will divert available Russian forces and assets from efforts to make a tactically significant advance northwest and west of Avdiivka.

“The Central Grouping of Forces likely lacks the reserves necessary to intensify operations in the Avdiivka area to the degree that would facilitate relatively rapid gains while maintaining offensive pressure in the Toretsk and Donetsk City directions. The Russian military command is currently attempting to maintain consistent offensive pressure throughout the front to prevent Ukraine from contesting the battlefield initiative, and tasking the Central Grouping of Forces with grinding offensive operations along a longer front is more in line with this effort than tasking the grouping with achieving tactically significant gains through relatively rapid maneuver,” the statement said.

• Since the beginning of the day on July 26, 107 combat clashes have taken place at the front. Russian occupation forces are active along almost the entire frontline.