Russian troops try new attack arc in Kharkiv region – General Malomuzh

Mykola Malomuzh, Ukrainian general and former Head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (2005-2010), shared the information on Espreso TV.

"For example, in the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces have suffered heavy losses, reaching 40% of their attacking troops. Every day, Ukrainian forces eliminate up to 500 Russian soldiers there. Across the entire front, Russian losses fluctuate between 1,100 and 1,800 troops daily. Because of this, the enemy (Russia - ed.)  is now looking for new opportunities to advance, particularly in the Kharkiv direction," he said.

According to Malomuzh, Ukrainian forces have already built strong defensive positions in the area and are using mobile tactics effectively.

"The Vovchansk sector is under Ukrainian control, making a Russian offensive in this area impossible. However, they will try to divert Ukrainian troops and resources to weaken our positions elsewhere. In the Kupyansk direction, three attempts were recorded to form strike groups at the strategic level. The goal is to seize Kupyansk and establish a foothold on the right bank of the Oskil River for further offensives. Lately, they’ve been bringing in reinforcements, capturing small islands and bank strips, but failing to hold them. They even tried using the frozen terrain to advance light armored vehicles and assault groups over the ice. But Ukrainian forces struck their positions with precision, destroying both equipment and troops," he noted.

Overall, Russia is trying to create a broad attack arc from Pokrovsk and Kupyansk-Lyman to fully occupy parts of the Kharkiv and Luhansk regions. This push spans the entire Donetsk sector, from the north, through Chasiv Yar and Toretsk, to the south, Malomuzh explained.

"Even after transferring reserves to Pokrovsk and Novopavlivka, the enemy lacks the strength to execute these plans. Ukrainian forces are destroying their reinforcements before they can secure positions anywhere. The Russians are now shifting efforts toward Chasiv Yar and Toretsk, looking for an alternative to Pokrovsk. But they’re being forced to pull units from elsewhere, including Pokrovsk, to reinforce the north, where Ukrainian counterattacks are already in progress. The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue launching counterstrikes and flanking maneuvers in key areas," he added.

• On March 1, there were 97 combat clashes across the frontline. In the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces launched three attacks near Novoosynove and Zahryzove but were repelled.