Russian army may try to seize Velyka Novosilka following capture of Vuhledar – UK intel

The UK Defense Ministry said this in an intelligence update published on X, Ukrinform reports.

According to the update, Russia had been making sporadic attempts to seize Vuhledar for the last two years, sustaining heavy losses in the process. The town is situated on high ground which made it a more defensible position for Ukrainian forces.

The ministry said that the capture of Vuhledar came after a renewed Russian campaign through September 2024. By the end of the month, Russian forces had nearly encircled the town, leading to the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces.

"It is likely that Russian forces will attempt to continue advancing beyond Vuhledar in the coming weeks. To the west, one likely objective is the town of Velyka Novosilka, Zaporizhzhia on the TO509 highway. 8km to the north is the town of Bohoiavlenka," the update said.