Heavy shelling continues as Russia pushes to envelop the Sieverodonetsk area via Izium in the north and Popasna in the south. Russia is highly likely preparing to attempt to deploy a large number of reserve units to the Donbas, UK Defence Ministry wrote on Twitter, Report informs.
"The Russian authorities have not released the overall number of military casualties in Ukraine since 25 March," the ministry tweeted. "However, the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) publishes casualty figures for DPR forces. As of 16 June, the DPR acknowledged 2,128 military personnel killed in action and 8,897 wounded since the start of 2022. The DPR casualty rate is equivalent to around 55 per cent of its original force, which highlights the extraordinary attrition Russian and pro-Russian forces are suffering in the Donbas. It is highly likely that DPR forces are equipped with outdated weapons and equipment. On both sides, the ability to generate and deploy reserve units to the front is likely becoming increasingly critical to the outcome of the war."