More now from the Institute for the Study of War’s overnight assessment of the war in Ukraine, which we reported on earlier (4.12).
The top US defence think tank says Russian forces did not secure any major breakthroughs in their offensive in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday.
Moscow secured minor gains, taking parts of the key frontline towns of Rubizhne and Popasna, the Institute for the Study of War reports.
But Russian forces “have not achieved any major breakthroughs, nor have they demonstrated any new capability to conduct multiple successful, simultaneous advances”, it says.
Russia made “incremental advances” in the besieged city of Mariupol, including “grinding progress” against remaining Ukrainian defenders in the Azovstal steelworks.
Moscow announced plans for a 9 May Victory Day parade in Mariupol – indicating Russian forces will declare victory in the city by that date at the latest, the think tank says.
Ukrainian forces also reported the presence of small numbers of Syrian or Libyan mercenaries fighting in Popasna – likely individual recruits fighting under the umbrella of the Wagner Group, it says.
The Wagner Group is a private Russian military company that has been active over the past eight years in Ukraine, Syria and African countries. It has repeatedly been accused of war crimes and human rights abuses.