Russian President Vladimir Putin’s troops have been commanded to advance in most sectors but are struggling to achieve a major breakthrough on the Ukrainian front line, British military chiefs have said.

“Overall, the current operational picture suggests that Russian forces are being given orders to advance in most sectors,” the British Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday. 

The ministry added, “But they have not massed sufficient offensive combat power on any one axis to achieve a decisive effect.’’

Its intelligence assessment said Wagner Group mercenaries have likely made further small gains around the northern outskirts of the heavily-contested town of Bakhmut.

But the Ukrainian defence is continuing, and the Russian advance to the south has likely made little progress.

Further north, in Kreminna-Svatove, the ministry said the Russians were making continuous offensive efforts but on too small a scale to achieve a significant breakthrough.

Defence sources believed the Russian president’s spring offensive might not be launched simultaneously across the entire front line.

But using conscripts during the increasing military activity to attack specific areas could be a means of testing weaknesses in the Ukrainian position. 

(dpa/NAN)