Kyiv estimates that Russia has deployed greater than 400,000 troopers in areas it controls within the east and south of Ukraine, Deputy Intelligence Chief Vadym Skibitsky mentioned Saturday.

“The Russian Federation has concentrated more than 420,000 servicemen in our territories that are temporarily occupied, including Crimea,” Skibitsky mentioned at a convention in Kyiv.

The determine “does not include the Russian National Guard and other special units that maintain occupation authorities on our territories,” he added.

Skibitsky additionally mentioned Russia had for a month been actively launching assaults from Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

“Drones deployed in Crimea are used against our ports of Izmail and Reni,” which have been used as different exports hub, significantly for the reason that expiry of a deal defending exports on the Black Sea.

Ukraine launched a counteroffensive within the east and south in June however has come up in opposition to fierce resistance from entrenched Russian forces.

Kyiv’s troops are additionally contending with renewed assaults round Kharkiv within the northeast, in areas liberated final 12 months.

“(Russians) want to take their revenge” within the Kharkiv area, mentioned Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar.

She mentioned Russian troops have been attempting to disperse Ukrainian forces within the east “so that we can’t centralise them around Bakhmut, where we are successfully advancing.”

She acknowledged that “the enemy is strong, they have more people and weaponry.”

Malyar mentioned the Russian military fired “almost 400,000 shells” at Ukrainian positions on the japanese entrance over the previous week.