Russian troops will shift targets and intensify strikes against Ukraine in the coming weeks

The Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu, announced the country’s intention to intensify strikes against Ukraine to disrupt the logistics of Kiev’s military. The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) predicts that Russian forces are likely to step up drone and missile strikes in the coming weeks to inflict maximum damage on Ukraine’s infrastructure and defense industrial base before the country receives a new aid package from the US, according to an analyst report cited by the publication “Ukrainian Pravda”.

Military analysts suggest that Shoigu’s focus on attacks on Ukrainian logistics indicates that Moscow’s forces may be changing the mix of targets to attack Ukrainian transport infrastructure and military depots.

Russian forces are likely to step up ongoing offensive operations in the coming weeks to exploit the logistical limitations of Ukrainian troops before the arrival of US help.

Shoigu’s focus on Russian offensive operations near Chasov Yar, west of Avdieyevka, and west and southwest of Donetsk city further indicates that Moscow’s forces are likely to intensify their offensive in these areas.

Russian troops carried out heavy strikes on Ukrainian transport infrastructure in the Dnipropetrovsk region on April 19 and may intend to repeat and expand these strikes in the coming weeks to disrupt Ukrainian land lines of communication.

Russian military commanders may hope that the coordinated effort will limit Ukraine’s ability to deploy sufficient manpower and logistics along critical frontline sectors.