Kiev intelligence: about 152,000 Russian soldiers deployed
About 152,000 Russian soldiers are deployed in the occupied areas of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in southern Ukraine, where they are preparing to defend their positions in the face of the expected Ukrainian counter-offensive. The estimate is from military intelligence in Kiev.
“We don’t see troops being withdrawn from Kherson or Zaporizhzhia oblasts. There are some movements: they take things away, evacuate people, loot, but we don’t see withdrawal of military units. In Enerhodar for example, they are taking away what they can, cars and equipment doctor, but they are not retiring. They are clearly aware that they will have to fight,” said Andrii Cherniak, a spokesman for military intelligence of Ukraine, speaking to RBC Ukraine.
According to Cherniak, the Russians are unable to go on the offensive and therefore are preparing to defend their positions, strengthening their fortifications and building new ones. The “evacuations” of people from these areas are a cover for counterintelligence and filtering operations, the spokesman said. There is also an attempt to deport supporters of Ukraine who may be conducting partisan operations during the counter-offensive. Previously, recalls Ukrainska Pravda, Petro Andriushchenko, adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, reported today that the Russian occupiers have built fortifications on all the bridges around the city.
Source-www.adnkronos.com