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The Russian army's withdrawal from the right bank of the Dnieper last month allowed Ukrainian forces to strike Russian logistics centers and communications, according to a British intelligence briefing today, as quoted by the BBC's Russia service.
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It is likely that this threat forced the Russian military to move its supply centers, including railway stations, further south and east.
Because of this, the Russian army will have to carry out logistical activities.
But the traffic in equipment and manpower will remain under threat from Ukrainian artillery before reaching Russian forward defense positions.
Russian ammunition shortages (exacerbated by these logistical problems) are likely one of the main factors currently limiting Russia's potential to resume effective large-scale offensive ground operations.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) draws attention to statements about the withdrawal of Russian troops from certain settlements in the occupied parts of Zaporozhye and Kherson regions.
These statements were made on Thursday by the Ukrainian military.
There is still no independent confirmation of them, and the version that they were made to misinform the enemy cannot be ruled out.
ISW: Belarus is unlikely to enter the aggression against Ukraine
In the Kherson region, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russian troops have left Oleshki and moved to forest belts along the Oleshki-Golaya Pristan highway (this is further from the Dnieper).
Conflicting reports about the deployment of Russian troops themselves may indicate some sort of redeployment is underway, "but it's not clear exactly how," ISW admits.
In the Zaporozhye region, according to the Ukrainian military, Russian troops are withdrawing from Pologi, Mihaylovka and Inzhenerny.
Earlier, the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported strikes against concentrations of Russian troops in Pologi, Mirni, Inzhenerny and Tokmak.
Perhaps, ISW suggests, the Russian army cannot defend these places and is withdrawing its forces closer to the front line (it runs further north).
The withdrawal of troops from Polog is particularly noteworthy, since this settlement is located at the intersection of several roads, and it would be much more difficult to defend Tokmak without control of this junction.
At the same time, the Russian army maintains reserves in the annexed Crimea, which could be used in the event of a Ukrainian advance east of Kherson or south of the Zaporozhye region.
ISW suggests that the Russian command expects such an offensive.
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