Russia rationing artillery shells to keep fire capability, ‘fragile’ in Bakhmut: UK

Russia has likely implemented a shell-rationing regime for artillery in an attempt to preserve its critical indirect fire capability in the south Ukraine, the UK Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday in an intelligence update on the war.

The British ministry said: “Over the last week, fighting has continued in multiple sectors of the front, with both sides achieving marginal advances in different areas. In the north-east, Russian forces have attempted to push west through forests west of Kremina. Ukraine continues to resource significant effort around Russian-held Bakhmut.”

The war assessment said: “Here Russian forces are likely fragile but holding for now. Further south in Donetsk Oblast, especially around Avdiivka, Russian forces continue to attempt local assaults, with little success.”

The UK ministry added: “In the south, Ukraine continues to attack on at least two axes, but is unlikely to have yet broken into Russia’s primary defensive lines. In this area, Russia has likely implemented a shell-rationing regime for artillery in an attempt to preserve its critical indirect fire capability.”

It stated: “In Kherson Oblast, Ukraine maintains a small bridgehead on the left bank of the Dnipro River near the ruined Antonivsky Bridge which is an added challenge for Russian commanders who are likely concerned about the vulnerability of their south-western flank.”

Read more:

Prigozhin’s plane flies to Belarus for 4th time since mutiny: Monitor

Ukraine: Russia heavily hitting Kupiansk in response to successful Bakhmut offensive

Russia on offensive on Kupiansk front, gathers 100,000 soldiers: Ukraine