We will see Ukrainian army's real breakthrough by end of next week - military expert Svitan

He said this on Espreso TV. 

“From the first decade of May to the first decade of June, there will be a month of preparation, and the last week will be spent on forming operations, i.e. reconnaissance by combat, but with larger forces at the level of battalion tactical groups. These operations will be conducted along the entire frontline from Orikhove to Kupiansk. The Russians blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, so now there is about 700 km of frontline where we can work until the water goes down and the Dnipro riverbed dries up near Kherson or Kakhovka. These 700 kilometers will be worked on by our troops,” noted the reserve colonel.

Svitan noted that quite serious operations are underway along the entire frontline: Orikhove, Huliaipole, Velyka Novosilka, Vuhledar, Avdiivka, Bakhmut, further to Svatove, and Kupiansk is also on the move.

“We see good dynamics in Avdiivka and Bakhmut. Now the Zaporizhzhia front has also started moving. But these are still forming operations before breakthroughs, meaning that strategic reserves have not yet been brought into combat, they are still far from the frontline. Forming operations are conducted for about a week and a half to two weeks. It's been a week now, so I think such operations will continue for another six weeks to a week along the entire frontline. All the information will be collected, and then a decision will be made on whether to launch strikes in the breakthrough areas. Breakthroughs can be made not only in the first or second line of defense, but if it works out, in the third line, and then into the operational space. By this time, the strategic reserve will be deployed. This will be the culmination of the offensive. Further, the situation will develop according to the plan that will be selected and approved by the General Command. I think that by the end of next week we will see real actions and movements not for hundreds of meters, as it is now, but for kilometers, that is, at least to the enemy's second line of defense,” Svitan said.

• On June 5, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported on the progress of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' offensive and success in the Bakhmut direction.

• On June 6, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin explained that the Ukrainian Armed Forces could break through the Russian defense.

• Ihor Lapin, a special forces officer and former MP, also noted that combat reconnaissance by the Ukrainian Armed Forces continues on the frontline.