Russia ramps up for significant summer offensive in Ukraine: insights

According to the commander of the Estonian Defence Forces Intelligence Centre, Col. Ants Kiviselg, the reorganisation of Russian forces and massive bombardments indicate Russia's preparations for an offensive on a larger scale at the beginning of summer.

- With the deteriorating situation in eastern Ukraine, the Russian Federation has begun using larger armoured units, but so far without much success. However, it has begun reorganising its forces across the entire front, which may intensify hostilities in the coming weeks, said Kiviselg at a press conference on Friday.

Russia continued bombing targets both near the front line and deep within Ukrainian territory throughout March. According to Kiviselg, in this way, the Russian forces are trying to plan future operations and show the power of Moscow so that Western allies turn away from fighting Ukraine and stop supporting it.

However, the Estonian colonel assessed that the expected new large Russian offensive will still require mobilisation, which the Russian Federation has prepared for, but we cannot confirm that it will occur in the coming weeks.

In response to a question from a Russian journalist, the head of the Estonian Defence Forces Intelligence Centre stated that he does not believe in Belarus's involvement. - It's more likely propaganda. We do not consider that the Belarusian armed forces are in a state of readiness or training that would allow them to join the attack on Ukraine, said the colonel.

Source: ERR