British military intelligence reports a strengthening of Russian defensive lines in the central part of the Zaporozhye region, southern Ukraine, more specifically along the Vasilevka-Orekhov line, from the left bank of the Dnieper River in an easterly direction.

Russia maintains a large military presence in this sector, it noted in its daily summary, published yesterday on Twitter by the British Ministry of Defence.

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It is very likely that this strengthening of the defense potential reflects the anxiety of the Russian military command about a major Ukrainian counter-offensive in this southern Ukrainian region or in the Luhansk region in the northeast, British military intelligence commented.

According to him, a major Ukrainian breakthrough in the Zaporozhye region would seriously question the "land corridor" between the Rostov region in southern Russia and the annexed Crimean peninsula.

On the other hand, if the armed forces of Ukraine advance towards Luhansk, this would further delay the achievement of the declared goal of the "special military operation" to "liberate Donbas".

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British military intelligence notes that one of the main dilemmas facing the Russian military command is likely to be which defense against which of the two threats to prioritize.

A possible Ukrainian breakthrough across the Vasilevka-Orekhov line would open the way to Melitopol, where the Russian-appointed occupation authority in Zaporozhye Oblast is based.

The main city in the region, Zaporozhye, remains under Ukrainian control.

To the northeast, Russian forces are defending the Svatovo-Kremennaya line, in the western part of Luhansk Oblast.

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