Russia may try to advance on Mykolaiv, Odesa to reduce dependence on Ukrainian artillery - Ukrainian lawmaker, security service colonel

He expressed his opinion with Espreso.

"The situation is really difficult on the fronts. The enemy is preparing for offensives in many directions and is pulling up his forces to the South, the bridgehead on the right bank of the Dnieper is very dangerous for him. In addition, the enemy has few exits to save this bridgehead or his troops. The occupier can get surrounded, if our troops destroy the enemy's supply routes for rear supplies and at the same time begin to press, then the enemy's pontoons will not be saved," said the colonel.

Roman Kostenko assumes two options for the Russian actions, either a withdrawal to the Left Bank, which means the loss of the captured territories, or the enemy needs to advance further to break the distance between the roads through the Antoniv bridge and the Nova Kakhovka dam, so that we cannot attack them.

"From my point of view, and based on the enemy's resources, the enemy will try to advance towards Mykolaiv and Odesa in order to take more of the South and break their dependence on our artillery, because we break their rear and do not allow them to sit quietly on the defensive," remarked the colonel.

Kostenko added that Mykolaiv and the Ukraine's Armed Forces are preparing for such a scenario and everything will be done to not only hold the city, but also to recapture the occupied territories in the future.