"A new critical direction has emerged – Zaporozhye is in danger" – Bortnik
Very soon Zaporozhye may “turn into Pokrovsk or Kherson.”
Ukrainian political scientist Ruslan Bortnik stated this in his video blog, the PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
"It has emerged new critical direction, that Russia has begun an offensive in the area of Pyatikhatki, Lobkovoe, Stepovoe, Shcherbaki - in order to encircle Orekhov. Perhaps this is so, although I have not yet noted any attempts to advance from the other flank to encircle Orekhov.
It cannot be ruled out that the logic here is twofold. Firstly, this is an attempt to move the front line away from Energodar and key Russian communications, especially against the backdrop of the political dialogue going on around Energodar, which is confirmed by all parties.
Secondly, perhaps the goal is even more ambitious. Imagine what will happen if Russia reaches the Malokaterinovka line from Shcherbaki. The Konka River flows here, it is a natural barrier that can become a front line and a fortified line for Russia to start shelling Zaporizhia. From Konka to the outskirts of Zaporizhia is 14 km, well, 20-25, this is the zone of operation of barrel artillery. Zaporizhia can turn into Pokrovsk.
Ukraine will have to evacuate a huge city. There is no experience of evacuating such cities in Ukraine at all, it will all end up in the shelling zone. It will either turn into Pokrovsk or Kherson," Bortnik warned.
"This offensive, which is still tactical in nature, must be taken very seriously. Because if the line in the Shcherbakov-Stepovoe area is broken, then the next line will be Pavlovka.…
The left flank of the Russian army is covered by the Dnieper, it is quite convenient to attack. Moreover, significant political goals are the beginning of conversations about the fate of Zaporizhia. Russia demands Zaporizhia and Kherson in informal negotiations in exchange for its promises to remove claims regarding the future of Odessa," the political scientist worried.
English version :: Read in English "A new critical direction has emerged – Zaporozhye is in danger" – Bortnik