Russia may have to divide its troops to stop Ukraine's counterattack

The British Ministry of Defense said Russia may have to split its forces to both stop Ukraine's counter-offensive in Orikhiv and continue its attack in Kupiansk.

In its September 2 intelligence assessment of the Ukrainian battlefield, the British Ministry of Defense said Kiev forces were maintaining counter-offensive momentum on the Orikhiv axis in the south of the country, approaching Russia's main defense line.

"Russian forces, mainly the 58th Combined Army Corps and airborne units, are seeking to both halt the Ukrainian counter-offensive and maintain their offensive on the northern axis around Kupiansk," the UK Ministry of Defence said.

The ministry added that by increasing pressure on Kupiansk, the Russian military may be trying to draw Ukrainian forces away from the counterattack in Orikhiv. This means Russia will increase its forces to continue the attack in Kupiansk.

But to do so, the Russian army will likely have to split its already stretched forces along its front line. If the reinforcements for the Kupiansk advance fail, Russia faces a great risk of losing the Orikhiv axis.

Ukrainian soldiers stand next to a rocket launcher near the front line in Zaporizhzhia province on August 19. Photo: Reuters — Ukrainian soldiers stand next to a rocket launcher near the front line in Zaporizhzhia province on August 19. Photo: *Reuters*

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also said today that the country's army is continuing its advance, rejecting criticism from some Western officials that Kiev is counterattacking too slowly.

"Ukrainian forces are moving forward. Despite everything and regardless of what anyone says, we are moving forward and that is the most important thing," Zelensky said.

Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said on September 1 that the Ukrainian army had broken through the first Russian defense line and was continuing its push south along the Orikhiv axis, with the strategic target being the city of Melitopol. The White House also said that Ukraine had achieved "remarkable success" in the Zaporizhzhia region.