The Armed Forces of Ukraine are planning a "new war" in Donbass in the period between March and June. This was stated by "Deputy Commander of the DNR Operational Command" Eduard Basurin, citing "summary intelligence data", - DAN separatist agency reports.
According to Basurin, the offensive of the AFU against the "DNR" and the "LNR" will be launched from four directions.
"The plan envisages that the forces <…> of formations and military units <…> with the support of artillery <…> will overcome the security area and breach the first defensive line within the strongholds of the troops and the defence areas of battalions of the first echelon of the units of the DNR and the LNR and occupy most attractive lines", - the militant's representative stated.
According to him, Kyiv will deliver its major strikes from north and south to Donetsk.
"With two enveloping strikes in the direction of Verkhnyotoretske, Ilovaisk (17th separate tank brigade, 93rd separate mechanized brigade) and Maksymiv, Starobesheve, Ilovaisk (1st separate tank brigade, 14th separate mechanized brigade, part of forces of 30th separate mechanized brigade (tank battalion)), will try to overcome the line of battle contact and breach the first defensive line of the Armed Forces of the DNR and, having increased the efforts with introduction of the second echelons and reserves, to cut the Donetsk units, envelop and capture Donetsk", - Basurin stated.
He added that "in future, having continued the offensive, the goal of the AFU is to seize the border of Lutuhyne-Ilovaisk-Komsomolske-Pobieda".
"Another strike will be guided against the southern sector of the frontline in the direction of Sakhanka (36th separate marine brigade, 79th air assault brigade). "This will allow to contain our forces in the Mariupol direction and prevent them from reposition to the Donetsk direction", - Basurin explained.
Then, according to him, after stepping up effort, the AFU plans to seize the Azov Sea shore.
The Ukrainian General Staff believe that all this will allow to destroy the "DNR" and come to the border with the Russian Federation, - Basurin considers.
Moreover, he stated that "the attack on the LNR will be launched in the direction of Krymske and Lutuhyne (72nd and 92nd separate mechanized brigades)".
"After amassing the assault forces (80th and 81st air assault brigades), the goal is to defeat the Armed Forces of the LNR and come to the state border of the LNR and the Russian Federation", - the "Deputy Commander of the Operational Command" of militants reported.
He states that such Kyiv's plans are confirmed by the "data on intensified aerial reconnaissance above the positions of the armed forces of the republic, drawing up machinery to the frontline and intensified delivery of reserves of fuel and munitions at the firing line".
"I must say that the planned by the AFU blitzkrieg will not bear the expected outcome to the Ukrainian party. In case of armed aggression against the People's Republics, the enemy will suffer irreparable losses", - Basurin threatened without giving any details about what forces of the militants are going to inflict this damage.