Russian army renewing offensive south of Izium - British intelligence

That’s according to an update released by the British Defense Ministry, Ukrinform reports.

The effort aims to envelop the Siverodonetsk Pocket from the north, the report notes.

Also, the Ministry has released a warning as regards humanitarian corridors, which Russian and separatist officials have claimed they are attempting to establish for Siverodonetsk residents since June 14.

Options to leave the town are limited by the destruction of bridges, but Russia’s proposed route would take them towards the town of Svatova, deeper inside Russian-occupied territory, the report warns.

It is noted that Russia has precedent, both earlier in the Ukraine campaign and in Syria, of using unilaterally declared ‘humanitarian’ corridors as a mechanism to manipulate the battlespace and impose the forced transfer of populations.

Ukrainian civilians trapped in Siverodonetsk “are likely to be suspicious of using the proposed corridor.”

“If trapped civilians don’t take up the offer of exiting via a corridor, Russians will likely claim justification in making less of a distinction between them and any Ukrainian military targets in the area,” the update concludes.

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