Russia to face “difficult choices” if Ukraine pushes toward Izyum - ISW

If Ukraine succeeds in continuing a counteroffensive in Kherson region and pushes toward Izyum, the Russians will be facing a hard choice – they will either have to retreat from their positions west of Izyum or deploy more personnel and equipment.

That’s according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrinform reports.

“The seriousness of the dilemma facing the Russian high command likely depends on Ukraine’s ability to sustain significant counteroffensive operations on multiple axes simultaneously. If Ukraine is able to press hard around Izyum as it continues rolling into the counteroffensive in Kherson, then Russian forces will begin confronting very difficult choices. They will likely need to decide either to abandon their westward positions around Izyum in favor of defending their ground lines of communications (GLOCs) further north and east or to commit more personnel and equipment to try to hold the current front line,” the report reads.

The analysts add that such forces “would have to come from another axis, however, putting other Russian gains at risk.”

Key takeaways from the latest war update by ISW are as follows:

• Ukraine is likely seizing the strategic initiative and forcing Russia to reallocate forces and reprioritize efforts in response to Ukrainian counteroffensive operations.
• Russian forces attempted to advance northwest of Izyum.
• Ukrainian forces conducted a series of localized counterattacks between Izyum and Slovyansk and regained positions in a number of settlements.
• Russian forces continued ground attacks northeast and south of Bakhmut.
• Russian troops continued attempts to advance on Pisky and conducted a limited ground attack southwest of Donetsk City.
• Russian forces continued to transfer equipment and personnel to northeastern Kherson and western Zaporizhia Oblasts.