While pro-Russia army bloggers mentioned that Moscow troops could soon encircle Bukhmut, the Washington, D.C., suppose tank Study of War mentioned Kremlin beneficial properties have been sluggish and the town’s fall is just not imminent.

The assaults occurred within the 36-hour window Russian President Vladimir Putin had proposed a cease-fire in respect for the Orthodox Christmas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky referred to as the cease-fire announcement a ruse and did not see any proof of Moscow slowing their assaults.

“The world was once again able to see today how false any words of any level that sound from Moscow are,” Zelensky mentioned in his common video handle late Saturday.

In the meantime, Russian authorities mentioned one individual was killed in an assault on the Starobesheve energy plant in Moscow-controlled Novyi Svit. The thermal energy plant was one in every of two in a part of the separatists-dominated Donetsk area. Russia blamed Ukraine for the assault.

The British Defense Ministry reported Sunday that Russia has continued to construct defensive fortifications in central Zaporizhzhia Oblast, southern Ukraine, in what could possibly be preparations for an offensive.

“The way Russia has worked on improving defenses suggests commanders are highly likely pre-occupied with the potential for major Ukrainian offensive action in two sectors: either in northern Luhansk Oblast, or in Zaporizhzhia,” the ministry said.

“A major Ukrainian breakthrough in Zaporizhzhia would seriously challenge the viability of Russia’s ‘land bridge’ linking Russia’s Rostov region and Crimea; Ukrainian success in Luhansk would further undermine Russia’s professed war aim of ‘liberating’ the Donbas.”