Putin orders that territories of Donetsk, Luhansk regions be captured by March – intelligence

There are signs that Russia is preparing a new attempt of a massive offensive and seizure of the east of the country.

"We see the Russian-occupation forces redeploying additional assault groups, units, weapons and military equipment to the east. According to Ukraine’s military intelligence data, Putin gave the order to capture the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions by March," Andriy Cherniak, a representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said, Ukrinform reports with reference to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

The intelligence officer added that Russia uses the territory of Belarus to train mobilized soldiers but does not have sufficient forces and means to go on a massive offensive against Ukraine from this direction in the coming weeks.

"As of today, no assault groups are formed. There is no threat of involving Belarus in a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, but these are risks that we must take into account," said the representative of Ukraine's military intelligence.

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