Moscow is escalating its defense in Ukraine as Ukrainian troops slowly advance on two axes east of the Oskil and Siverskyy Donets rivers, the UK Ministry of Defense said Wednesday in its latest intelligence report.
"Russia is mounting a more substantive defense than previously, likely because the Ukrainian advance now threatens parts of Luhansk Oblast as voting in the referendum on accession to the Russian Federation closes," the ministry said.
While fighting continues in the Kherson region, Russia presses on with its attempts to advance near Bakhmut in the Donbas.
