Russian forces likely intend to launch the second phase of their offensive following their anticipated seizure of Vovchansk, three miles from the Russian border, according to the latest analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday that Russian forces advanced between five and 10 kilometres in the northern Kharkiv region before Ukrainian forces stopped Russian advances.
The ISW says Russian forces are currently prioritising the seizure of Vovchansk because it is likely one of the remaining tactical objectives of the first phase, noting it is the largest settlement immediately on the border that would provide Russian forces with a staging ground to prepare for and launch the second phase.
The Russian objectives of the second phase are not yet clear, the ISW says. It could be to expand the "buffer zone" further in width along the border, or to advance closer to Kharkiv city.
Russian forces have also recently intensified efforts to seize the operationally significant town of Chasiv Yar, the ISW says, seeking to exploit the pressure on stretched Ukrainian forces.
